Words of wisdom

Random thoughts:

Why is it that we generally feel good about a person with ideals but then think negatively about a person deemed idealistic? After all, isn't an idealist just someone championing their ideals? It's good to hold to a high standard. So why do we knock a person and chide them for being an idealist? I admire people who strive for perfection.

That said though, did you know perfection is an imperfect goal? You can never reach it you can only strive for it. Just when you are about to reach it the target moves. But striving is still good, in my opinion.

Per my last post: Edison was likely an idealist or he would've yielded to the pragmatism of the day and thought of better ways to use all those kerosene lamps. And Ford was probably an idealist when he bucked (sorry for the pun) the standard mode of transportation--the horse and buggy--so many had invested in. So, weren't these gents idealists? Men with ideals and the guts to go against the tide and try something new?

Someone commented about 'total cost of ownership' being a deciding factor, per that same post. I thought about that a lot and concluded that a tech person's idea of TCO contrasts the marketing person's idea of ROI. Is TCO valid if what is owned might limit a greater ROI? In other words, if held to that paradigm can bigger and more profitable ideas emerge? Again--the Edison analogy. Had he been consumed with TCO would he have thought of an even bigger source of profit? And value to the consumer?

Enough on that, for now.

More:

If you don't step up and swing big you'll never hit one out of the park. I just read that Jim Thome surpassed Reggie Jackson on the all time home run list. But he's also nailed 3rd all time in strikeouts. Most remember Jim and Mr. October as valiant sluggers. But any other guy with that many strikeouts would be ridiculed. The point is, he and most sluggers know that nothing will go out of the park if not swung at--and swung hard/big. The same goes for what we do in interactive marketing. If we don't think big we'll never have brand moving ideas. And if we don't put everything into our play we won't see a good idea live. I've heard it said that the best way to increase your success is fail more often. I like that. It urges one to dare to go beyond the expected and put it all out there. Sure, there's a fine line between the slugger and the slap hitter but one never goes big without going big.

I'm always appalled by the argument that one should hold back since the last few ideas didn't fly. And I am unafraid to keep pitching new business even if I didn't win the last big effort. If I quit now I will be giving up. How's that for a Yogi'ism?

Another: If you don't believe in yourself how can you expect anyone else to?

How about this?: Why is it when championing one viewpoint several automatically think it excludes another? Like when I say dare to do something different folks counter with, "So you're saying we should abandon the logic of the present?" Or if I say let's take the business in a new direction they say, "So you're saying we should fire all of our existing clients...?" Huh? It always puzzles me--that way of thinking. So if I am an idealist I am not a realist? If I am inspired I am not pragmatic? I believe Edison was an idealist driven by pragmatism--he knew there might be a better way and had the guts to go for it.

Remember, yin yang and duality is an acceptable, and often good, position.

Overall these follow a pattern of belief that all the naysayers, the self-titled devil's advocates, the realists and pragmatists have an agenda to simply play it safe. It's more comfortable to sit back and criticize than it is to expose one's self to criticism for trying.

Think big. Do bigger.

Posted via email from stephenspeaks's posterous