Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Tribes: Secret Of Success

In the book, Tribes, by Seth Godin, Seth makes a great statement about being wrong. It is as follows:
"The secret of being wrong isn't to avoid being wrong!
The secret is being willing to be wrong.
The secret is realizing that wrong isn't fatal.
The only thing that makes people and organizations great is their willingness to be not great along the way. The desire to fail on the way to reaching a bigger goal is the untold secret of success."
And so I ask: Where are you pushing the envelop today? Risking it all? Charting a course and not looking back? Being innovative...on the edge. Are you failing....are you possibly getting it wrong to be right?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

dude this quote makes me want to push even harder!!!

Unknown said...

dang. ouch. shoot. darn.

ive been in, what seems to be a lifelong, process of writing a book...and i am so afraid of failing or totally not knowing what and how to do this thing.

so this quote kinda makes me think of why i may not be pushing as hard as i should. i wanta do everything right, right out of the gates.

chewing. chewing on this one.

Jason Curlee said...

Same here lloyd....

Jason Curlee said...

Tam...I've been in the same place for several years...don't know if it's timing...fear of not knowing how to do it...fear of it being a flop and no one reading....you name it....

Guess the thought is...why not...at least if it fails I can still say "I did"

Unknown said...

youre so right. i have realized lately that although i dont like to fail...i dislike even more, failing to try.

so. i keep saying, i'll get on it - i'll finish this thing. yet i keep delaying. its maddening.

grrr.

Jason Curlee said...

Maybe we need to resolve in '09 to just do it...I was listening to the author of "The Shack" who wrote it just for his family...maybe we just need to write it or do it for us....so that we can put it behind us and keep moving forward.

Unknown said...

hmph. i hate resolutions.

but i'll think about it ;-)

Art Good said...

I am willing to risk my job in 2009... I'm not going to pastor a church that won't step out of its comfortable complacency and reach people. I'll either oversee the resurrection or preach the funeral!

Jason Curlee said...

ART - I know God will meet you in that risk Art....God wants your church to reach people more than you do...

Keep casting a vision for that...change doesn't just happen overnight...

Plan some things and go for it.

CyndiAKADisneyqueen said...

I guess I never thought about what I would actually be willing to fail at. I know lots of times I have stopped dead in my tracks only to have God push me forward into unknown terrritory anyway!

Anonymous said...

I want to give up, but I can't do it. I stil believe that I would rather die in the fight than throw in the towel. Noone could hate me more than I do.

Anonymous said...

I am updating my Twitter account 100 plus times a day, just to see how many followers I can use.

HAHA.

Seriously though, what Seth has written is something that for me, IS the stepping out in faith. Being wrong. I've never felt being wrong is bad, but I have felt that not being right is failure.

I know that may sound weird, but I am by nature a problem solver. I like to figure out the answers and I like to learn. But, I don't like it when I don't succeed. I am competitive. I grew up in sports, so I know that has some to do with it.

So, lat that all aside, I need to fail. I need to fail big. I need to fail strong. I am (in mind) completely OK with being wrong and not having the answers, but it goes against my nature. I love being in the unknown. Then all of a sudden, those things that I am learning are so much deeper and have a much greater impact. It's like never knowing a sunset and than seeing one for the first time. I want that child-like approach that I have no expectations or assumptions. That way, when God reveals His plan to me, I am blown away and in awe of it. Completely!

So, even though I think there will be much to be afraid of, I say bring it! I am ready to be weak and unknowing. That way, He can strengthen and teach in exactly the right places for me to be fully capable and valuable to Him

Jason Curlee said...

So awesome Brent...and simple...I think...

It would be so cool to just step out of the boat and sink....I mean at least I can say I stepped out of the boat and tried it....what's the worse I get a little wet....

I'd like to fail my way to seeing how close I can get to God....

Anonymous said...

I wrote a post about getting out of the boat last month. It has to be done!

"I'd like to fail my way to seeing how close I can get to God...."

I love that!!!

Jason Curlee said...

man....that seems like a post all in itself. Got me stirring....