We don’t fear change.

We fear failure.

This is why we don’t pursue our dreams.  This is why we don’t bring meaning to work.  If we did, we might not succeed.  Maybe our dream job would turn out to be a disaster.  It’s not that we fear the change to our dreams – it’s that we fear failing at our dreams.

For a long time I rebelled against ideas like “mission statements” or “culture calendars”.  But over the years I have seen just how useful these tools can be if used properly.

There was one organization in particular that made me re-evaluate my thinking.  This organization has a culture calendar that says, “If you haven’t failed in the last 30 days, you’re not trying.”

When you read that what does it tell you about that organization?

It tells me that they are about growth.

That it’s an organization that doesn’t fear failure – they embrace it as a key part of learning.  And you know what?  It pays off.  It’s the most innovative organization I’ve ever worked with.  With a staff of around 100 people they manage a multi-million dollar budget.  Organize events on multiple continents.  Provide an infrastructure to handle tens of thousands of items for emergency relief aid.  While continuing their main mission of providing core training for thousands of people on a weekly basis.

And oh yeah, that organization happens to be a church.

Don’t let people tell you that you fear change, because that’s not the real problem.  It never was.  The real problem is fearing failure.  If you focus on growing instead of always being perfect you’ll be amazed at where you can go.

photo provided by flickr user Xerones

If you haven’t heard, the Apple / Google wars heat up.  Both of these companies are poised to become huge players in the emerging “super phone” market.  Which means that billions, if not trillions, of dollars are at stake.  This is why Apple’s lobbing of legal grenades is so important.  With filings targeted at Google’s phones (specifically the HTC models), Apple is saying they won’t take iPhone encroachment lightly.

This isn’t new.

Apple and Microsoft used to be at war.  Google and Microsoft used to be at war.  Microsoft and Sony are still at war.  Every major company seems to go to war with its competitors.

Of course the people who get hurt in these wars are you and I, the consumers.

So why do it?

Because companies are afraid.  They are afraid of the economy.  Of losing market share.  Of not making money.  And when we are afraid, we demand more control. This is especially true when we are the “big player” in the conversation.

Apple is no longer the underdog.  They are what Microsoft was in the 1990’s: the dominant market player.

But this isn’t a knock on Steve Jobs (Apple CEO).  We all fight the temptation to power up out of fear.  When something is uncertain we try and grab a hold of as much as we can.  We figure the more we can control, the better we will be.  When your kids start acting out what do you do?  You put them in time out or ground them from TV.  When new technology is introduced into the workplace, how do companies respond?  By banning employees from using Facebook or locking down the internet.

But what if that’s the wrong strategy?  What if the way to unleash your real potential – the way to get out of trouble – is to let people have the freedom to do what they do best?  What if instead of micromanaging we allowed our employees to innovate?  What if instead of trying to manipulate the market we just own up to a bad product and redouble our efforts to build a better product?

Of course that takes work.  And there isn’t an immediate satisfaction of “getting even.”

The best and brightest don’t want to live in a climate of fear and control.  Microsoft discovered that in the 90’s as a lot of the best and brightest left and went to work for Google and Apple.  You know who stays behind in a climate of fear and control?  The people who can’t find jobs elsewhere.

So the next time you find yourself wanting to power up, ask yourself, am I seeking control or my own destruction?

photo provided by flickr

But I must concede, not everyone seems to like stability.  Take, for instance, Scott Cassell who likes to swim with ravenously hungry squid.

While most of us want something safe and controlled, there are some people who seek out true adventure and danger.  These people appeal to us.  We dream about a life as exciting as theirs as we do our grocery shopping or take the car in to get it’s oil changed.

Even our entertainment is filled with excitement.  Star Wars wouldn’t have been much of a movie if Luke had decided he really wanted to stay home and farm.  Die Hard wouldn’t have become the movie it was if Bruce Willis had decided he didn’t really need the trouble of investigating the crime – he was off duty after all.

If we crave stability, why do we seek out these adventure stories?

I believe it’s because we know we are made for more than the mundane.  Yes.  We seek stability.  Yes.  We try to create a world that’s completely safe.  But what if we were never meant to live that way?  What if instead of seeking out adventure, we were supposed to seek out life?  How would your life look?  How would you look?

What if you made choices based on adventure and your potential, then playing it safe?

photo provided by flickr