Tim Ferriss recently examined Napoleonic strategy and information management, and included some interesting quotes that reminded me of my father’s favorite saying: “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” My dad has made his career in emergency response and disaster management, so what sounds like a witty phrase to many actually has tremendous implications in his line of work, where hesitation and indecision can literally mean the difference between life and death.
Ferriss’ article resonated so deeply with me, actually, I almost titled this post with the “Lead, follow…” quote, until I realized that I had ruminated on a similar topic almost exactly one year ago. I had to reread the post to remember what was on my mind in early 2008… interestingly enough, I do not believe that much has changed.
A little more than a year ago, my natural inclination to avoid risk became a source of frustration for me. I realized that unless I began forcing myself out of my comfort zone, I could never grow as a person. Since that point, I think I have done a better job at broadening my horizons and being willing to take action, even in the face of uncertainty.
Now, research published in Scientific American suggests that I began working to make these changes at a perfect time in my life:
Openness declines gradually over many years, often beginning in the 20s. As the years wear on, novelty becomes less and less stimulating, and the world outside someone’s own private and professional sanctums becomes increasingly less attractive….
For younger people, external changes were more likely to lead to internal transformation, but that was not the case for older individuals.
So, what does this mean to me? Last year I said “yes” to the opportunity to apply for a grant which would fund an environmental club at my school; this year, I have said “yes” to working as a policy consultant to help students prepare for PowerShift 2009, a massive youth summit focused on climate and clean energy policy. I think I am better for doing so.
Making these decisions has not yet become second-nature to me, and a preference for risk aversion may very well be a part of me that never changes. There is a big difference between jumping over a bonfire and jumping into a leadership role in a project, though, and exercising decisiveness will lead me to gain from the latter than the former.
I’m looking forward to see where I will be next year.
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Related note: A friend commented on last year’s post and suggested this article on recognizing opportunity. I believe that Brian Kim makes a great point when he advocates to “start by taking a shot at the little things.”
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Edit: I just found that Alex J. Mann posted a quote last week that came close to summing up the message behind this post:
“Great dangers always accompany great opportunities. The possibility of destruction is always implicit in the act of creation. Thus the greatest enemy of individual freedom is the individual himself.”
- Saul Alinsky