In a pile of gray stones, a colored one easily stands out. Similarly, when life become so routine that everything appears the same color, entrenched in monotony, a burst of contrary thought gives a reminder of what else is out there. Lately, I have subscribed to the blog of Seth Godin, finding his thoughts on business, life, and personal development to be encouraging spurs that give a jolt to my habitual way of thinking. His inspirational, bite-size nuggets have surely had readers up on their feet, determined to make a change to their perceptions, start something new, or do the hard work few are willing to do. What will you take away today?
“We box ourselves in long before the outside world ever gets a chance.”
“Now is a good time.”
“Habits are more powerful than fears.”
“Waiting to get picked is a form of hiding, not realism… it’s never been easier to decide to be responsible for your own work, for your own agenda, for the change you make in the world. To have a chance to matter. Not to be finished right now, but starting now. Pick yourself means we should stop waiting and whining and stalling.”
“All of us are part of organizations that were started by outliers, by radicals, by people who cared more about making a difference than fitting in. The question each of us has to answer about the institution we care about is: Does this place exist to maintain and perpetuate the status quo, or am I here to do the work that the radical founder had in mind when we started?”
“When in doubt, tell yourself the truth.”
“How long have you been along for the ride? When is your turn to actually drive? [To choose] your own route and owning what comes of it?”
“Surfing, the conceptual kind, is more essential than ever, it’s not optional. And the hardest part of surfing, by far, is paddling out, not surfing in. Carrying the board, getting back into the water, paddling through the waves, waiting for the next set… it’s exhausting, and surfers spend far more time doing this than they do on the other part. Having the guts to surf is what change demands. And finding the stamina to paddle back out is a key part of surfing.”
“Hope is fuel, it moves us forward and it amplifies our best work. Expectation is the killer of joy, the shortest route to disappointment. When we expect that something will happen, we can’t help but be let down…”
Reckless abandon (is either): It’s not reckless, because when we leap, when we dive in, when we begin, only begin, we bring our true nature to the project, we make it personal and urgent. And it’s not abandon, not in the sense that we’ve abandoned our senses or our responsibility. In fact, abandoning the fear of fear that is holding us back is the single best way not to abandon the work, the pure execution of the work. Later, there’s time to backpedal and water down. But right now, reckless please.
– Rochelle Johnson, JETPUBS Inc.