Clarion Call: Time To Do Different Things
Friday, August 2, 2019
Hi all! I started this as a little life update, but it turns out it's more of a clarion call.
I feel like I'm on the eve of something big. We're in a time of transformation, that's for sure. Yet some moments are more transformational than others.
There's a hell of a lot of stress and frustration out there.
I have to tell you something. I took a huge leap in late November to do some deep work to help shift the country.
As with all enormous projects, it's been educational beyond the plan. I have been incredibly heartened since launching it by the financial support, the reception, some side conversations, and people talking about it and sharing it. A team has coalesced, too... to help take it to the next level.
Some of the support is stealthy. Only I have seen it.
Some of the support hasn't yet transpired. I have faith that it will, though. I believe.
I believe in us. I believe in this country. I believe in what it can be. I believe we can shift it.
I believe we can have great vision, and I believe we can make great progress realizing it.
I believe we're going to have to do a hell of a lot more to make that happen. Living life like everything is the same as it was isn't going to do it.
I think we're in the fight of our lives here in the US. I posted something earlier this week about how one way tyranny sets in is that life looks the same in the everyday forms. In our environment.
But it's deeply, deeply fractured.
Making the Shift
I am so heartened by those who have changed their lives deliberately to take action because of the time we are in. Others are supporting those people. Not everyone is in a position to make such a change.
Many are, and haven't.
After 9/11, I hauled my ass to Washington DC. I was frustrated as time went on, because I saw people go back to their daily lives. When we hadn't fixed what needed working on.
This is different. This round, I see and am connected to hundreds of people who are doing work. Much work.
There's a fine line in here somewhere. We don't see what people are doing. We don't see people's commitment. We also don't see impacts. We don't see the other challenges that all of us face. For many reasons, people don't share all of the stuff. I don't, because the stories are not always mine to tell. But that doesn't mean that they are not heartbreaking pieces of my life that are happening at any given moment.
Getting Everyone On Deck
I remain challenged because I don't understand people who don't see the threat. Or who perhaps see the threat but think others will handle it.
We are in a time where we are going to need everyone possible. I don't know how in the hell to convince people to get involved who aren't.
I think it's going to be one of the biggest challenges we face over the next year. I mean I've actually done a hell of a lot of research on it, but I think we're going to need more.
And here's something else. It's going to get worse. So there's that.
Am I fear-mongering?
No. I'm watching the trend. The disaster spreads daily. The damage path will be wide, and even if we can get this thing stopped, we are going to have to do some serious and deep work to put things right.
I've put some deep thinking on how we can do some of this work. We're going to need more people thinking on it too. We're going to need a team. Lots of teams.
Everyday someone is saying how we're in a critical moment. I mean they're not wrong. Every day is absolutely that.
We're NOT going to make deep change doing the same things we've been doing.
I'm asking you to get more involved. Maybe you're already pretty involved. Maybe a little involved.
I think we're all going to need to step it up.
Part of that is talking about how we can step it up... in conversations with the people in our lives. Part of that is figuring out the path. Part of it is making the change to do the work.
We're going to need people. We're going to need amplifiers.
My point is this. I don't know what the hell this transformation is going to look like.
I do know it's not going to look like anything we've ever seen. The catalyzing moments haven't. Why would the transformation?
We need to imagine greater than we ever have. We need to leap more than we ever have. We need to put ourselves in uncomfortable situations and take risks like we never have.
It's fairly scary. It's unnerving. Some days it seems delusional.
I'm here to tell you it's not. Not delusional, anyway. Scary: yes. But #YouAreNotAlone.
Courage Illustrated
Think of every hero movie you've ever watched. Where people find some depth of strength, and then go through some god-awful terrible challenge. And then find even more of a well of strength for the even more epic challenge. And then in your most dramatic movies there is the most epic-est challenge ever, and our hero always always always finds ideas + strength... and a way through. Even despite physics and so on.
Even in actual reality... we can find - and create - ways forward.
My most-favorite big mythology hero-movie is The LEGO Movie.
It's about all of us coming together, and everyone finding the thing that they can do that resonates. What they can bring. Because it takes everyone.
It's not just something to think about. It's something to take action on.
If you don't know where to start, then for heaven's sake please hire me. I do coaching on this kind of tough stuff. Or go through the website; lots of helpful stuff here.
The time we are in is calling for the best that all of us have to bring to the table. The A-game. The good China for special occasions. The stuff you've been saving up for your whole life.
Bring all your tools... we're going to need EVERYTHING.
Next
So. Breathe. Take some time to do some fun stuff. Connect with your people. Those connections are going to be what sees us through.
But also have some tough talks, about what to do next. With your people. With yourself. Maybe with your cat. Or the trees. The universe. Whoever it is that you talk with.
Tougher stuff is coming.
We can get ready now.
The #ShiftTheCountry work is designed to help us build stronger, more resilient communities for a world in which we will have more disasters and more challenges.
We don't have to be on defense. We can outshine the side of fear. And I don't mean only with love.
We need big vision. Big plans. We need teams. We need good people. We need support. We need good tools. We need to know how to get real stuff done in the real world.
You playing?
#LightItUp
This website was created for this kind of moment; for a great transformation. We have free tools + info that can help people + organizations. We hold virtual events. We do coaching at inclusive pricing rates; we do consulting & training for organizations. We help each other navigate disruption & find ways forward.
---
How Can I Help Make Shift Happen?
I'm In! Sign Me Up
---
Shift the Country
Coaching & Consulting
25 Focus Areas to Help Navigate Disruption
The Blog
The Toolbox
---
PUBLISHED HERE: 2019-0804
POSTED ON FACEBOOK: 2019-0802
---
Leave Your Comments
We welcome your comments. Please leave your ideas and opinions below.