the F word

Seth Godin from Tribes:

I’ve encountered thousands (it might be tens of thousands) of people walking around with great ideas. Some of the ideas really are great; some are merely pretty good. There doesn’t seem to be a shortage of ideas. Ordinary folks can dream up remarkable stuff fairly easily.

What’s missing is the will to make the ideas happen.

The difference are people who actively talk themselves out of the fear. The fear is still there, but it’s drowned out by a different story. It’s the story of success, of drive, of doing something that matters.

Are you hiding from the fear of leading?

Ideas the spread, win. Boring ideas don’t spread.

Actually…

What people are afraid of isn’t failure. It’s blame. Criticism.

We choose not to be remarkable because we’re worried about criticism. Watch a few people get criticized for being innovative, and it’s pretty easy to convince yourself that the very same thing will happen to you if you’re not careful.

But if you get criticized, it means you did something worth remarking on.

I’m fascinated when some ideas thrive and others crash and burn. I often analyze them to figure out the factor that made the difference. I agree with Seth’s observations about our fear of criticism. How many of us have ideas that would create significant positive change? Something that excites us beyond belief?

Why aren’t we working on them?

We’re afraid. Terrified. Mortified that we’ll fail.

At some point, something clicks inside our soul that won’t allow the excuses anymore. I love that moment.