Everyday activities can be remarkable when you make them visible for others to see.
Author: whatifconcepts
Transactional Aquaintiances
I have been intentionally mindful about my interactions since the beginning of the year and intrigued to discover that I maintain more transactional acquaintances than friends. Transactional acquaintance are individuals we hear from when our resources benefit their efforts without regard for the provider. It may be opening a door, leveraging resources, loaning materials, or captivation of time. At first I was discouraging to place people considered friends into the transactional category. Then I realized that I allowed these relationships to perpetuate along the transactional narrative. As an individual synopsized about my new understanding, we are a member of these false tribes until our value is replaceable.
So I continue on my quest with increased awareness. Looking for those who are seeking to be inspired by thinking and acting differently. Reminded that our best ideas sporadically spring from those with whom we posses weak ties. I recall the Edge Effect that states where multiple ecosystems overlap we find the greatest diversity. We must strive for the edge in order to experience the inspirational.
A great resources for mindfulness has been employing the Head Space app. An easy to use, beautifully designed, and customizable meditation course. The program is remarkable and the results of daily meditation equally profound. I offer it as resource to those on a path that bends around corners which causes us to lose sight of all we know, even for a fleeting moment.
Stories
Our stories come not from what we do but why we do it.
Inside View
We create environments that feels interactive and meaningful by closing ourselves off from alternative points of view. These constructed environments provide all types of feedback that feels valuable. However, somebody will come along and inquiry to what end are we putting our limited resources. If our answer is to point at the progressive jackpot that is growing rapidly we may find it difficult to enroll others. Winning the treasurer based on the whim of an algorithms rarely provides lasting memories and typically a selfish act.
When our vision provides us with a landscape in which our skills and teamwork will determine our progress, the likelihood of assembling a corps of discovery grows greatly. Playing for the jackpot is great as entertainment. Trekking beyond the horizon line in exploration of an idea that will fundamentally change the future of our tribe is life altering. Enjoy being entertained by prizes but do not confuse them for the work that matters.
Two Trails Diverged
Two trails diverged and I selected one and it made a difference. I did not wait for the crowd. I did not look to see which one showed signs of greater wear. I committed and I was on an adventure.
At which junctions are you standing waiting for perfect information before selecting a route? Too often the choices I must make become bigger than the terrain and opportunities that lay ahead. Pick one and take our resourcefulness on an adventure (unless it is one of the small occurrences when pausing before leaping makes sense).
Long Term Progress
Seth Godin’s asked: What are you willing to give up today in exchange for something better tomorrow? Next week? In ten years?
The immediate place this resonates on most social sector agendas is during the financial report. How often has the balance sheet driven the mission of an organization? When did doing what is right become the brave thing to do? Are we perpetuating a problem so our coffers stay full or are we willing to tackle obstacles while acknowledging that our efforts may or may not work?
In my experience, while brainstorming during long-term visioning exercises the most frequent organizational wish list item: an endowment/reserve fund (bigger endowment if one already exists). It is not always the first thing mentioned but once the words ‘endowment’ are put forth there is a chorus of support. As if the idea of financial security is more important than solving the very problem/furthering the opportunity the enterprise was founded to address. Protecting the organizational shield outranks the desire for great quest. Yet, I am short on stories about the knights of the roundtable who stayed home and collected membership fees.
Some people will risk a lot in pursuit of long-term progress. Embarking on the journeys that are uncertain. This is the edge where we should be planning. Being self-sustaing but unremarkable is not original. Far too many groups have traveled the path and their legacy (at best) is a mountain full of treasure guarded by a dragon and off limits to almost everyone.
What are you willing to give up today? Why does it matter?
Authentic Games
John Oliver takes on the NCAA during the most recent installment of his show, Last Week Tonight. The episode is remarkable because it shines a light on the dark corners of the collegiate athletic system. He makes visible the disparity between the stated belief of the NCAA and its actions. The NCAA states it purposes as, a membership-driven organization dedicated to safeguarding the well-being of student-athletes and equipping them with the skills to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom and throughout life. When the dislocation between vision and activity becomes significant it allows for the type of satire where John Oliver excels. The fake gaming video advertisement needs no explanation.
Who is going to start the NACC (National Athletic Co-op Conference) where athletes and universities share in the revenue? Or, when do collegiate athletics move to an enterprise outside of the university structure? What if the professional leagues (NFL. NBA, NHL) took over the collegiate sports and created development leagues? Many options and they each result in a structure that is more aligned with the NCAAA’s stated purpose.
Making Mistakes in Public
Read the Q&A section on Banksy’s website* and be prepared for simple responses.
Question: Best and worst part of creating Street Art?
Answer: Make your mistakes in public.
What is worth doing, even if it contains mistakes? What risks are we willing to take in order to connect an idea with a community that may care? Who are we willing to disappoint in order to complete our quest?
The opportunities that cause me the most anxiety are usually the ones that I need to explore. I said ‘yes’ to a university experience even though I did not have all the answers and was bound to fail repeatedly in a classroom of strangers. I agreed to work on consulting engagements that challenge my approach and yet I continue to look for ways to serve and add value. Travel brings numerous opportunities to fail publicly and yet I continue to pursue a destination even when I make a wrong turn or plan poorly. I participate in sports that provide moments physical pain. My original front tooth lies somewhere on the side of the road in NH thanks to a cycling team crash in High School. The very public mistake of inadvertently brushing my front wheel against another rider’s rear wheel left me more committed to my craft.
As Seth Godin reminds us, do work that matters. I highly recommend Seth’s audio book, Leap First: Creating Work that Matters. The development of the audiobook inspired the publication of Your Turn, which is equally engaging. I have been handing out my extra copies to people who are trying to create change and are willing to succeed and fail in public.
I look forward to seeing our mistakes in public venues. Our art matters.
* Banksy is not on Facebook or Twitter but his art continues to be discovered wherever he produces it.
Leaving the Tribe
Sherman Alexie spoke at the Cabin’s Readings and Conversations program in Boise last evening. He is known for being a Spokane/Coeur d’Alene Native American, poet, film-maker, and author of such novels as The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. He was entertaining, troubling, thoughtful, empathetic, misguided, and unstoppable (the people seated next to me wondered aloud if he would ever stop talking). He told stories, addressed current events, taunted liberal, shamed conservatives who had attempted to ban his book, and was the punchline of his jokes. He also took [expletive delete] liberties with his language.
A significant tipping point in Sherman’s life came at age 13 when he left to attend a high school off his reservation. Sherman reminded the audience that his most powerful discoveries and successes came because he walked away from his reservation seeking something else in the world. He now serves as one of the most powerful link for both the native american communities and those of anglo heritage. He refers to himself as a modern day Sacagawea.
The enduring image of the evening was Sherman walking across the stage, hands raised, middle fingers extended as he mockingly walked out of an imaginary cave and the warmth of its fire. The power of slipping the bonds of safe for the possibility of better was profound.
How often do we choose the safety of the tribe over the chance to seek new experiences? Sometimes, walking out of the cave is the most powerful act we can take.
Sucker Hole
Sucker holes offer hope or false assurance. Those looking for blue sky use it as confirmation of hope. The weather forecast will suggest the patch of blue is an anomaly. It is easy to put the next adventure on hold until better weather arrives. If we go high enough there is always blue sky. The question is at what level we are operating.
What-if-concepts 