Where are your dreams today? Are they still in your head? Are they in a secret folder on your hard drive? Does anyone know about them?
I am getting the chance to run a very big project, something that has never been done before. It is innovative, it is smart, it is big, it has success written all over it. And if it is done right, it will change the rules of the game for a lot of people. It is also a crazy, pie-in-the-sky moon shot. In short, it’s very exciting.
The truly wondrous part of this dream project is that it is not even mine. It was something that came about because I put myself out there and exposed myself to a lot of different people with a variety of different projects. Too often, we hold our big ideas close to our chest. We don’t want to let the world see them for fear that someone will steal them, or laugh at them, or worse, ignore them. I totally understand these fears.
I’ve made my choice thus far, and if you don’t already know, then I’ll state it clearly. I am dedicated to being as open and transparent as possible. For me, this is the only way to operate, the only way I know how. I’ve always had a big mouth, now I just have the appropriate instruments through which to channel.
But it was precisely by being so open and welcoming, by talking with and listening to so many people, that I saw this opportunity unfold before me. By listening to so many stories, to the personal qualms and fears, by getting to know what was on so many people’s minds, I was able to see the solutions that they couldn’t, even though this project’s simplicity was staring everyone right in the face. It just took a little extra push, and an outsider (me!) to put the pieces of the puzzle together, WITH them. Not FOR them, but with them.
That last bit is really the important part. With the way things are, our society frazzled and tired, our economy still in crisis, I don’t think people can do anything on their own. Even if they can, I am not sure they should. I think seeking out and asking for help is crucial to the success of new ideas. We need the support of those around us. We need the support especially of those that we used to think of as our competitors.
This is what attracts me about this big project. It is a bunch of people who formerly thought of themselves as competitors, but who have done the extremely hard work of discovering they can achieve more working together than by working apart. It is inspiring. The creative engines are gearing up in this group. We’ve aired tons of great ideas, some terrible ones, but the point is now that we’ve come together, we are actively listening and working with one another. And this is only the beginning.
Obviously, you’ll be hearing a lot more about this project in the weeks to come. I can’t wait to share with you all the process going forward, one that I am sure will be filled with horrible defeats, incomparable successes and almost everything in between. It’s going to be one heckuva ride.
But for now….I’ll see you on the flip side.
Image Source: World on Island Info on Flickr
{ 6 trackbacks }