We must trust our own thinking. Trust where we’re going. And get the job done.

The line is a compact statement of self-determination and practical leadership. It links three steps: intellectual sovereignty (“trust our own thinking”), confidence in collective direction (“trust where we’re going”), and disciplined follow-through (“get the job done”). Read in light of Mankiller’s public emphasis on Cherokee community development and Indigenous self-governance, it underscores a refusal to defer to outside authorities for validation, while also rejecting mere rhetoric in favor of concrete outcomes. The cadence—short, imperative sentences—suggests a motivational address aimed at sustaining resolve amid obstacles, reminding listeners that vision must be paired with execution.