“Q: Who governs the governors?
A: Entropy”
— Frank Herbert, The Dosadi Experiment
I’ve been reflecting on personal highs and lows of 2019. The goals reached, the surprises, and disappointments. I have so much to be grateful for, but I recognize that I have had very high expectations of myself, and those around me as well.
As I reflect on my expectations, I realize they are usually very deterministic. Even though I know nothing is ever that simple, this default likely comes from being raised in a very religious environment.
Like the lyrics to High Hopes by Panic! at the disco, I’ve always had high hopes.
“Had to have high high hopes for a living
Didn’t know how but I always had a feeling
I was gonna be that one in a million
Always had high high hopes”
As innovators or entrepreneurs, we talk so much about failing fast and embracing failure. But let’s be honest, nobody likes failure or setbacks. We only really celebrate failure if it eventually leads to success.
I personally believe the freedom to fail is a luxury so many in the world don’t have. I am lucky enough to have the freedom to dare greatly and fail.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong woman stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the woman who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends herself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if she fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” — Theodore Roosevelt (adapted to use female pronouns)
I’ve decided its about time I explore non-deterministic approaches.
“Acceptance is a choice in the service of our happiness and the ability to try again tomorrow.
When we detach our emotional state from the results of our effort, we maximize the chances that our effort will be focused and effective. We’re not trying to control the outcome, simply putting our best effort into creating the conditions that lead to the desired outcome.” — Seth Godin
A personal goal for the new year is to continue to go all-in, but then practice being okay with whatever happens next. To understand and practice separating effort from results, to explore my identity outside of accomplishment or results.