“It is common sense to take a method and try it. Source If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.”
This powerful sentiment from Franklin D. Roosevelt captures the essence of his approach during a time of immense crisis. Delivered in a 1932 speech, these words became the philosophical engine of the New Deal. They championed a radical idea for governance: bold experimentation. However, the wisdom of this philosophy extends far beyond the 1930s. It offers a timeless blueprint for progress in any field.
FDR’s call to action was not just about policy. Address at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia It was a mindset. It pushed back against the paralysis of perfectionism and the fear of failure. Today, this very mindset drives innovation in technology, business, and even modern governance. Consequently, understanding its core principles can help us navigate our own complex challenges with greater agility and resilience.
The New Deal’s Laboratory
The Great Depression was an unprecedented economic catastrophe. No one had a guaranteed solution. In this environment of uncertainty, FDR turned the United States into a laboratory for ideas. He did not promise a single, perfect cure. Instead, he promised action and a willingness to adapt. This approach gave birth to a sweeping series of programs and reforms known as the New Deal.
Many of these programs were bold experiments. For example, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) put millions of young men to work on environmental projects. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) transformed a vast, impoverished region with hydroelectric power and economic development. Some initiatives succeeded spectacularly. Others, like the National Recovery Administration (NRA), were less successful and eventually struck down by the Supreme Court. Yet, FDR’s administration learned from each outcome. The failures were as instructive as the successes, providing crucial data that guided subsequent efforts. This iterative process was the New Deal’s defining feature.
Learning from Failure
Crucially, FDR’s philosophy included the directive to “admit it frankly” when a method fails. This public acknowledgment of failure is vital for genuine progress. It prevents leaders from doubling down on flawed strategies due to pride or political pressure. By embracing this transparency, the administration could pivot resources toward more promising solutions. This willingness to learn and adapt, rather than clinging to a rigid ideology, was instrumental in steering the nation through its darkest economic hour. This model of governance, where policies are treated as hypotheses to be tested, remains profoundly relevant today.
Silicon Valley’s Echo of FDR
Decades after the New Deal, a similar philosophy emerged in a completely different context: the world of technology and startups. The modern principles of Agile development and the Lean Startup methodology echo FDR’s wisdom. These frameworks are built on the idea of rapid iteration, continuous feedback, and a core acceptance that the initial plan is rarely the final one. They are, in essence, a modern translation of “try something.”
Consider the concept of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). An MVP is the simplest version of a product released to the market. Its purpose is not to be perfect. Instead, its function is to test core assumptions and gather real-world user data. Based on this feedback, developers can iterate, pivot, or even abandon the idea. This process saves immense resources. Furthermore, it ensures the final product actually meets a genuine market need. This is precisely FDR’s approach applied to business. You launch an initiative, measure its impact, and adapt based on the results.
Agile frameworks, such as Scrum and Kanban, formalize this experimental cycle. Source They break down large projects into small, manageable sprints. At the end of each sprint, the team delivers a functional piece of work, assesses what went right and wrong, and adjusts its plan for the next cycle. This constant feedback loop is the engine of innovation in today’s fastest-growing companies. It allows them to navigate uncertainty and consistently deliver value in a rapidly changing world.
A Blueprint for Modern Challenges
The need for experimentation is not limited to boardrooms or coding sprints. Today’s governments face incredibly complex, interconnected problems. Issues like climate change, global pandemics, and economic inequality defy simple, one-size-fits-all solutions. Attempting to craft a single, perfect, multi-decade plan is often a recipe for failure. Therefore, FDR’s philosophy offers a more practical and effective path forward.
Adaptive governance applies these principles to public policy. It involves launching pilot programs to test new ideas on a small scale before a nationwide rollout. For instance, cities might test a new traffic management system in a single neighborhood. They can then collect data, gather community feedback, and refine the approach. This method minimizes risk and maximizes the chance of success. Similarly, social policies like Universal Basic Income (UBI) are often first explored through localized trials to understand their real-world impacts on employment and well-being.
This experimental approach fosters resilience. When a policy experiment fails, it provides valuable information without causing widespread disruption. Conversely, when it succeeds, it creates an evidence-based model that can be scaled with confidence. It allows governments to be more responsive, data-driven, and ultimately more effective for the people they serve. It replaces rigid, top-down directives with a more dynamic and humble process of discovery.
The Courage to Try
Beyond the practical applications in policy and business, FDR’s words speak to a fundamental human truth. The fear of failure often holds us back. We wait for the perfect plan, the guaranteed outcome, or the ideal moment. This hesitation can lead to stagnation. Roosevelt’s call to “try something” is an antidote to this paralysis. It is a call for courage—the courage to act in the face of uncertainty and the humility to learn from our mistakes.
This mindset is empowering. It reframes failure not as an endpoint, but as a necessary part of the learning process. Whether in our careers, personal projects, or community involvement, embracing an experimental approach allows for continuous growth. It encourages us to take calculated risks, test our assumptions, and discover what truly works. It is a philosophy that champions progress over perfection.
In conclusion, the wisdom of FDR’s experimentation philosophy is more vital than ever. It provides a proven framework for navigating complexity, from running a nation to launching a new app. By embracing the cycle of trying, failing, learning, and adapting, we can unlock innovative solutions to our most pressing challenges. The world has changed immensely since the 1930s, but the fundamental value of taking bold, iterative action remains a constant guide toward a better future.