It kind of funny… there are tons of change related terms and phrases that we all know… maybe even embrace:

  • Some people are change agents
  • The more things change the more they stay the same
  • When you’re finished changing, you’re finished

The irony is that the last thing most of us want to do is change. Even the writers of the Declaration of Independence recognized that most people would rather suffer under known conditions than change into the unknown.

If you’ve read past page 14 of Seth Godin’s book Tribes, you know this title of this post is not an original, its actually a quote from the book. In addition to describing some pretty profound differences, I think it can also help us understand this fear as well.

Most people are satisfied being “led” by someone else… someone that, if they’re wrong, will take the blame for the change. Someone that can be pointed to as they claim they were just, “following his lead.” This is rooted in the fact that most people fear failure. They think its bad. They believe they’ll be fired, divorced, or tossed out on their backsides if they fail. Sometimes, that may be true but I’d submit that in most cases… not a chance. A good boss, partner or friend will recognize that they’ve just made an investment in you and will now want to see some value out of that investment. How can they do that if they get rid of you?

The leader on the other hand, has figured out that failure is more than an option, it is itself an outcome. Thomas Edison once famously stated after failing to figure out the incandescent light bulb yet again that he hadn’t failed, he just found thousands of ways NOT to do it. That’s called the freedom to fail, and its a wonderful thing.

Does that mean that failure is without consequences? Of course not, but neither is success! How many stories have we heard of recently successful people cratering in their new found popularity? The point is, both success and failure have consequences. Isn’t it better to say you failed trying rather than because you never tried? Is there a cost associated with your investment, sure. You usually have to pay extra for valuable things. Now, how are you going to extract the value from your investment?

Here’s an idea… Pick one thing to change, today… and do it! Even if you don’t succeed, you will know you tried and will also learn one way not to implement that change. So when you try again tomorrow…

Leave a comment and let us know what one thing you’re trying to change today… and how it goes. Success can be contagious and we’d all love to catch a little success… and not the flu!

@jtrigsby

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