Pragmatic and Principled – You Don’t Have to Choose

“Lincoln was all the things we admire—compassionate, fair, purposeful—while being a politician.” — William Lee Miller

We’re fed a lie:
That to be effective, you must compromise your principles.
Or that to stay pure, you must avoid power.

Lincoln proved otherwise.
He didn’t just survive politics.
He played the game better than most, without selling his soul.

This isn’t about history. This is about you.

If you lead a team, run a company, or drive change, you’ve likely faced this fork:
1. Do I speak up or stay silent to keep the peace?
2. Do I stick to my values or chase the quarterly target?

But here’s the truth:
You can play the game and still sleep at night.

Here’s how to apply this practically:

1. Define your non-negotiables.
List 3 principles you’ll never bend: no matter the pressure.
Post them somewhere visible.

2. Learn how to say “no” with diplomacy.
You don’t have to be a jerk to hold your ground.
Learn how to frame rejection as redirection.

3. Play long-term games.
Principles compound. So does compromise.
Decide what you want to be known for in 10 years and act accordingly today.

4. Practice ethical influence.
Politics exist in every room. Master the game, but don’t become the game.
Influence with integrity.

Lincoln didn’t succeed despite his principles.
He succeeded because of them.
Stop thinking you need to be cutthroat to win.

Start realizing that clarity + character = power.
You don’t have to choose between pragmatism and principles.
You just need to stop outsourcing your backbone.