March 12, 2010
Great Things. Great Things. Great Things.
Working with the Digerati has been a dream for me. These people are amazing. Every single one of them challenges me with their talent, integrity, generosity, and ingenuity. They're the best team I've ever heard of.
And I think that's a reflection of the leadership.
Terry and I were talking a few weeks ago about the scope of an upcoming project. In the process of discussing features, user experience (high level), and core functions, he paused and said, "Great things, great things, great things."
His interjection was an affirmation of our need to remain focused on the "great things" and be okay with not doing the "good things". He had used the phrase "great things" in conversation before, but never with such conviction and mental clarity. We both needed a reminder to stay focused on the opportunities that offer the deepest and broadest payoff.
Discarding the "good things" for the "great things" is easy when you're dealing with features in an application. It's not so easy when you're making bigger decisions in life. How do you tell the difference between a "good job offer" and a "great job offer"? What about a "good spouse" versus a "great spouse"?
Erica faced a big decision right after Thanksgiving last year. Due to a mixup at work, she was "let go" without notice or the opportunity to learn the full reason for her dismissal. Just like anyone that loses their job suddenly, she was understandably upset and confused.
But after a few weeks of prayer, soul-searching, talking with family/friends, researching, more prayer, and then some more research, she decided that she had an incredibly unique opportunity to follow a dream and do what she loves. She immediately began taking her first steps toward becoming a SCUBA Instructor. It took a minor life-shift to help Erica find her own "great things", which allowed her to say no to some "good things" that were on her doorstep.
And there's the rub. "Great things" can only be defined by the "good things" you reject, which means you'll know when you've found the "great things" when it's easy to say no to some really "good things".
[Postscript: Sorry for the gratuitous use of "unnecessary quotes".]
