We Need More Power

Maybe if we had the tenacity of Captain Kirk, we could find our way forward. Kirk had it — the “boldness to go” where few have gone before! When was the last time you yelled to your Captain, the One who gives you your strength, “We need more power…?” When you do, It’s likely that you will get one of two responses. Which one will instill a greater fear in you; that you will get what you asked for and will feel compelled to act, or that you have all you are going to get?

Time for Something New

When we give up on the idea that we can win the little battles, we lose sight of our BHAG’s — our big hairy audacious goals — goals that are visionary, long-term in nature and are emotionally compelling. BHAGs are a good thing, and everyone should have at least one; they drive passions, releasing energy and creativity in ways that few other things do.

How about a show of hands? Is it possible to be as invested in a BHAG when I am at my worst; when I need the sea-legs of a drunken sailor and the toe strength of a ballerina to just walk across the living room than I would need when I am at my best? The idealist would say, “Of course,” you need to tap into your inner Kirk. He would get Scotty to max out the engines, Spock to ignore logic and Bones to do whatever it was that Bone’s did to earn a spot. Kirk would find a way.

However, the pragmatist would say that it’s only logical that the answer to this question is much different when I am at my worst; when my hands are stiff and hitting the correct key on the keyboard is a crap-shoot at best. He would suggest that I should chill, grab a latte and dried out pastry from Starbucks and hit the reset button on the whole world domination attitude. Nothing is so urgent that it can’t wait until midday when the only excitement is watching in amazement as a quick brown fox to jumps over the lazy dog.

The realist would advise me that my BHAG is still attainable, I might need to adjust my approach, allow myself a smattering of grace; at least until my fingers and my faculties are on the same freaking page.

The Quester

Writing my book was my last BHAG, but even that feels small right now. In retrospect it wasn’t as daunting as I thought it would be; once I found the definition of the word “is,” hidden away in the Clinton Library of all places. So now what? Looking back, my BHAG wasn’t big enough. In addition to writing the book, I should have added that I needed to develop an effective marketing campaign and sell 1,000 copies my first week. Ideally, it would generate enough money so Lisa and I could travel the world, or at least I could take her on a cruise. Could it be, that I had doubts that the first part of the goal, writing the book, was attainable, that’s why I didn’t consider how to share it?

When There is No Pony

We keep digging, don’t we? With a smile on our face, no less, we are conditioned to believe that there has to be something more! We engage in corporate doublespeak, sift through mountains of bureaucracy, or sit through yet another four-hour meeting under the pretense that if we play nice, we will receive something more appealing than what we already have. Do you still believe; do you still think that there is a pony under that pile of manure?

Did you give up on chasing your dreams and setting goals when things got tough? To some degree, we all do — I know I did. But that is not how the story ends. Did you quit or did you hit the reset button and pivot? Maybe there is a valid reason that things didn’t turn out as we thought they would. Could it be that all this time we were looking for a pony in the wrong barn? Maybe if we were paying attention, all the cackling and the feathers should have given it away.

Are you frustrated or fearful, weary or wandering? Maybe it’s time to ask your Captain for more power!

The fox belongs to the dog group of animals, Ivy, why do you ask?

Al and his faithful, but narcoleptic sidekick, Ivy the wonder pup.

You think we need one to keep the chickens quiet so you could sleep?