“There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.” -Buckmister Fuller
Did you know that Walt Whitman’s life masterpiece, the poetic epic Leaves of Grass, was self-published? Neither did I, but I recently learned that it was criticized in its day as obscene, offensive, and Whitman’s own brother said it wasn’t even worth reading—ouch! This didn’t stop Whitman from publishing and selling it himself, or publishing several more editions of it throughout his lifetime. He is now known widely as the father of American poetry. But Whitman had no way of knowing he would ever be recognized as that—he only knew he loved to write, he wanted to write, and so what did he do? He wrote. A lot.
Does doing something that bold seem strange to you? Our culture teaches us from a very young age to seek outside validation—to ask permission from some external authority. One of my clients will frequently finish her statements with, “Does that sound crazy to you?”
“So what if it does?” I respond. “If I did think it sounded crazy, that wouldn’t mean it was crazy.”
All too often we have a thought, start an action, share an idea—and just when we’re about to own it, we stop and ask permission. Can I? Should I? What do you think? This is not the same as seeking constructive criticism, which can be quite valuable. This is simply giving some external force the authority to squash you and your idea for any reason whatsoever—including their own personal fears, doubts and gremlin voices telling them that they can’t, so why should you?
The shift that occurs in personal leadership is when you develop the ability to stand confidently in who you choose to be without needing external permission. The better question is: Does your idea seem crazy to you? If not, then go for it! Or if it does, is that a good enough reason to not do it? Some of the greatest inventions, solutions and ideas were downright crazy in their inception. Remember, you are going to get feedback whether you like it or not—and you can choose how to respond to that. Therein lies the secret: Leaders choose.
