Why do people hesitate to lead or to even be a part of a change effort, however large or small.  They know for certain this would positively impact themselves, others and possibly even a large group?  Because generating real impact is hard.

Ryan Holiday (The Ego is the Enemy) portrays the reality of leading a big effort in this reference:

“It doesn’t matter how talented you are, how great your connections are, how much money you have.  When you want to do something big and important and meaningful — you will be subjected to treatment ranging from indifference to outright sabotage.  Count on it.“

It is true, that the best lessons are the hardest learned, but how many hard lessons can one persons ego take?  It would be so much easier for us to remain indifferent, as spectators watching big change while comfortably repeating the same year of experience over and over again.  Or, maybe we could really stretch ourselves to go beyond indifferent with sabotaging remarks and actions toward others seeking big change.  This may even be better with massaging our ego from a distant seat high up in the bleachers.

There are only a few people with a clear purpose in their lives that are actively learning and applying what they are learning with others to generate big, important and meaningful change.  I refer to these people as applied learners.   We need more of these people.  Ones that are relating with others to do the same.

Applied Learners are people that are…..

• purposeful and passionate learners.
• relating with others seeking to be better.
• connecting broad dimensions of thoughts and experiences with others to set and reset a meaningful course.
• discovering better, more efficient, safer and/or innovative methods to produce the work for an enhanced and shared value to all.
• experiencing the decisions made and adapting the direction set from what they are together learning.
• focusing on the purpose, the strategy and what matters most while remaining largely unconcerned with the status of their own egos.

Very few individuals will do something big in their entire lifetimes to the scale of winning a Nobel Prize.  But, winning a prize or to be highly acclaimed in your work place yourself, isn’t the point of generating a greater and meaningful impact.  The point is that we can differentiate with continually learning and applying what we are learning with others while doing something big together, irrespective of ego.  Count on it.

MITM