Tag: Risk

Fortune Favors The Brave

Fortune favors the brave.  It does indeed.  But what does that mean, “favors you“?  Or what does it mean, “brave“?

This sounds pretty inspiring, yet how do we apply it or gauge whether we are brave?  Try this on for size.

I believe if everyone likes you, you are not brave enough.  Courage implies risk. And risk implies challenging the status quo. Generally, people do not like being challenged.

This also applies to us when we look in the mirror.  I am often tempted to not  challenge myself to do more, do better, do differently.

Why?

Because it’s too much work, too much risk, too much uncertainty. Isn’t it?  Ever find yourself thinking like this?  Good.

Most people intuitively understand that hard work pays off, that uncertainty is part of life, that risk is a key ingredient for continuous improvement and that fortune favors the brave.

Seth Goden and 37signals

Seth Godin is like a new BFF.  Why?  Because if I…..

If I have to explain it to you, you may not get it.  Click here to go to his blog.  Highly recommend you read Seth Godin’s blog every day. It’s simple to subscribe to it and you can have it waiting in your in box each morning.

But maybe you’d rather just stick with a plan that’s certain to be safe.

Anyone here remember how Napster destroyed the Music Industry’s decade-old business model?  The Internet is changing all the rules.

Next on deck, 37signals.

Here’s my prediction, if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you’ll most likely become a victim of a Napster-like competitor.

Or, you could just stick your head in the sand.

Don’t Get Arrested

Do what you fear, but don’t get arrested.  Sometimes, if not more often, we must do what we fear to overcome it.

This has been challenging, considering  all the places I’ve lived and worked – 35 years in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Idaho, Florida and Washington State.

Bottom line, my thirst for pushing boundaries tends to threaten others. Since turning 50 in June, I have flat out accepted this is who I am – a game changer.  Maybe this will be September’s theme.  Maybe not.

Let’s go back two days to The Ledge, at the western hemisphere’s tallest building:

Went out on The Ledge five times. Would have done it even more, except it was a very busy Friday night in Chicago.

“So what”? Exactly.  So what!  I’ve never been more impatient with the status quo.

Turbulent times call for unprecedented creative efforts.  In order to teach our son patience, I constantly remind myself to relax and be patient.  One day soon, some one will ask, “Will you share your vision with us”?

While I went to The Ledge five times that night, Walt Disney lived his whole life on The Ledge.  Wonder if we’re related. Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

jungle jeff, Risk Taker

jungle jeff, risk taker, on The Ledge.

Friday evening, I walked to the Willis Tower (formerly The Sears Tower). The 1.5 miles took about an hour, with the numerous photo stops.

Going there was a mission.  A mission to stretch myself.

Spent two full days in Chicago, exiting, motivating and inspiring a great organization to reach even greater heights.  To go out on the ledge, so to speak and challenge themselves to do something they think can’t be done – destroy the status quo.

I felt an absolute calling to go to the ledge.  The ledge is a very scary place to be.

How can professional speakers – motivational speakers – inspire others to do impossible things if they themselves aren’t motivated and aren’t capable of doing impossible things?

Walt Disney never asked his associates to do anything he thought was impossible.  Walt always thought things were possible, even if everyone around him didn’t.

Same with me.  I’ll never ask my son, wife, or anyone else in our family to do anything impossible.

But maybe I should.  Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

Excellence Is Not A Risk Free Journey

Excellence is not a risk free journey.  Nor is excellence guaranteed, even if you work desperately hard.

I know first hand.

And what I have learned, and in many cases, relearned, is that the road to excellence has no finish line.

We are never at a place where we are finished.

These are lessons Walt Disney learned and worked to his advantage.

Now, I’m teaching our son the key insights of a brilliant man – Walt Disney.

Walt Disney’s ideology taught me how to go from one push up a day ten years ago to the 2009 WMA Masters Track and Field World Championships last week.

My son has seen me apply so many Disney strategies to getting and staying healthy, that he is also inspired to be excellent.

Who wouldn’t want that for a child?

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

PS.  Tomorrow, an insight on the recent change in direction here at jungle jeff.  Some of you have commented and I’ll share a sneak peek tomorrow.