Main Idea
What is the one significant difference between highly successful companies or individuals and people who just get by? How do teenagers grow into responsible adults?
Expansion of Idea
When you were growing up, you tested everything. You may have tested eating dirt. You definitely tested your parents. For those of you who have teenagers, they test everything. As a parent it frustrates you. However, it really is a necessary part of learning. It establishes things that work and things that don’t work. It puts boundaries in place. It enhances the curiosity of kids. Testing is a great instructional tool.
However, somewhere in our 20’s or 30’s a lot of us stopped testing. We started getting comfortable with the status quo. The impact of that is that we lead moderately successful but unfulfilling lives. Instead of great success we have moderate success. We have made the core assumptions in our lives sacred and untouchable. This is a real problem in society and business today. The world is changing so fast, that we have to constantly analyze our assumptions and test new ones. We may need to decide if we should continue to offer a particular service. It may be a system that worked in the past but doesn’t work so well now. Why don’t we look at these alternatives? Part of the problem is that we are comfortable. The other part is that we are afraid of sticking our neck out. However, there is an inherent link between risk and success. The real issue is for you to decide what you want, comfort or success.
Points to ponder:
Are there assumptions in my business life that need to change?
Are there systems that you have a hunch need to be updated?
Do you have new ideas that you are afraid of trying?
What tests can I set up to see if any of these ideas make sense?