It was the end of World War I, one of the most traumatic events in centuries. It wrecked civilizations and sowed the seeds of the century of blood. Woodrow Wilson, the President of the United States, asked this question,” What can we do to end war?” He decided that the solution to the question was to create the League of Nations. This would be a super governmental organization that would adjudicate between nations and prevent war. We all know how that turned out.

Wilson asked the wrong question. He should have asked,”What do we do, now, to create a peace that will minimize hatred, jealousy and envy?” Instead Wilson traded every part of a decent settlement with the Axis countries for a toothless League of Nations. He guaranteed that the war did not end then and started again in the mid 1930’s. It went on to be such a black time in the world that it is impossible to look at the history of the 20th century without revulsion.

Wilson was obsessed with the concept of the League of Nations. Unfortunately he wasn’t clear on the sources of war. People used his obsession against him; first to get a peace agreement that guaranteed war would resume soon and second to create an organization that had a name, but no power.

The problem with obsession is that it can cloud the clarity you need. Be careful that you always ask, “What is my desired outcome?” Don’t be seduced by the siren call of personal needs and wants; they are true chimera.