Let me start by saying that I’m actually very happy that you want to do your best work and make your mark where you happen to be. I, too, am a person that wants to save the world. In fact, that’s why I’m writing this note for you to read and re-read and pass along to everyone like you.
Sometimes, in our passion to save the world, the smaller moving parts that make that possible are forgotten or extremely abused and if I can save you a few fires that you have to put out, then so much the better because then you can go father than I.
Here’s what I’ve learned and would like to pass to you:
- Relationships give life to your vision. A vision that you cannot gather relationships around will never see the light of day no matter how hard you try.
- Your good idea is not authority. Your idea doesn’t confer authority upon you to demand people do things your way. Please see the previous point.
- Being constructive is a skill. It takes practice and more practice. Learn to take your frustrations and learn how to turn them into ideas you can gather your relationships around to help you deal with. Being frustrated in isolation helps no one.
- One more time: relationships. Cultivate them. Take an interest in someone else and what they are doing and that might be returned to you. While I understand that your ideas are good ones, the truth is that no one cares about your idea if you don’t care about them. By “care” I mean you will not have the ability to rally people behind you.
Notice how many of these points refer to relationships. If you’re going to lead the charge, people need to follow you and the people that will follow you are the people that you demonstrate care and compassion for. Period.
Now go out there and get ’em. I believe in you.
2 responses to “Soon-To-Be Hero”
[…] talk about what he hopes for and what he fears. Mostly what he fears. We talk about the importance of gathering relationships around a vision and asking for help where it is needed. He tells me he has a hard time believing in himself and […]
[…] Stories are a collective effort. I had my ideas, but then these players – five of them total – took this story and interacted with it and it became big. Breathtaking. I spend a lot of time how on earth I even got into this wonderful thing. Here’s the takeaway: your best ideas will bring other people into the fold. Remember: your vision grows in proportion to the relationships you can gather around it. […]