So you started something.
You embarked on an adventure. You began a story. You started out doing the impossible. Something you believed in. Something you thought was a great idea.
So you forged ahead. Threw off the excuses and got going. “Surely people will line up to join me!”, you thought.
So you got started and kept going and kept going, but slowly, as you began your journey, you began to look around and the followers you thought would come, don’t.
And you can’t figure out why…
You Dream Too Small
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Most people dream too small and that’s why they never get people to join them. They only dream big enough to imagine what’s possible by themselves. So while they might achieve a few impressive things, they’ll never achieve something impossible, because they’re still dreaming within the realm of their imagination.
They’re only attempting what they believe they can do alone. What’s possible for them.
And that’s boring to other people.
If you can do it on your own, why do you need my help?
That’s what most potential followers think.
But most people trying to start something and trying to lead others, don’t realize that. They want to succeed so they dream small, aim low and settle for good, when they could go for great.
Their adventure isn’t big enough for anyone else to join in. So nobody does.
The story arc they create is all about themselves. So nobody else gets involved.
They only do what they can dream up doing alone. So nobody helps.
Their own perception of what’s possible on their own literally limits what’s actually possible, because they’re limiting the capabilities to the constraints provided by their small vision. As a result, the very people they’re repelling the very same people you’re trying to attract.
Your story is much bigger than you. Your actions affect so many people other than yourself. Your personal impact is so much bigger than you think.
But you have to dream big.
You might be amazingly talented, but you can’t make up for what 5/1o/20 peoople can do. Or for that matter 100/200/300 all pursuing the same cause.
You might be talented, but you’re not that talented…and even if you are, you don’t have 100x the time.
The best thing you can do as a leader is to create more space.
Dream bigger.
Risk more.
Create a vision so massive that other people get sucked in by it’s gravity.
Go Big or Go Home.
If you’re wondering why people aren’t coming along on your journey, it’s because there’s no room for them. You have to create an adventure bigger than yourself.
Your vision is too small.
You ambition is too tiny.
The future that you’re offering is not compelling enough to draw others in.
Create A Compelling Adventure
Men wanted for hazardous journey.
Small wages, bitter cold,
Long months of complete darkness,
Constant danger, Safe return doubtful.
Honor and recognition in case of success. – Sir Ernest Shackleton,
That was the ad that Sir Ernest Shackleton put out for the first expedition to Antarctica in 1914. He wasn’t messing around.
That type of ad doesn’t attract a bunch of people scared of the impossible. He didn’t want a crew doing worthless stuff. He wanted men with balls to make something happen. A crew willing to stare down the impossible and do it anyways. A crew willing to risk comfort and safety for adventure and meaning.
Those types of people change things. Those types of people make things happen.
If you want to lead these people, you need to give them a vision worth following. It’s not an option. It’s imperative. You HAVE to.
Invite them on an adventure. Create a story arc worth paying attention to. Give them a purpose worth their time.
Create an adventure so big, so huge, that they’re compelled to join you, practically sucked in by the gravity of the purpose.
Sure, you’ll get a lot of people running scared in the opposite direction, but you don’t need those people – in fact, you don’t even want them. They’re interested in doing small, possible things. Things that are quite certain of success, but not necessarily worth doing. Besides, they’re the same people that usually show up at the end of the adventure, after you’ve fought the hard fight and lived through the adventure when it looks like you’ll be coasting back into the harbor safely. They want to realize the reward of doing the impossible, without having to actually do it. They say they want to go on an adventure and have stories to tell, but when you’re staring at a sheer wall of impossible, they disappear.
But the adventurers don’t. They jump at the chance to do something impossible. It’s what they live for. It’s the only thing they live for. And they’re the exact people that you’ll need in order to do something massive.
Create a daunting adventure that you can’t do on your own and you’ll attract the exact people you need in order to accomplish it.
Aim High. Be Bold. Go Big.
***
Things are getting a lot bigger around here soon. The vision is getting bigger. The adventure is expanding. There are a lot of changing coming soon. Email subscribers are the first to know. We need you. Stay tuned…
I am disappointed that email subscribers will get information before others…what about those of us that are dedicated RSS feed readers?! 🙂
Hey Sukie!
RSS is harder to control because I can’t actually choose which info to send you without posting it here on the blog.
That said, if you’d like the lowdown on everything that’s going on, shoot me an email and I’ll fill ya in :).
Thanks for Reading!
-J
“Do or Die” credos are not new to the human experiment. (Watch the movie 300). If you are truly willing to risk you life for a cause or mission, only then can you fully tap the energy you all seek here. There are no shortcuts. Are you willing to die for your husband of wife? Are you willing to die for your children? If not, you should not be married nor have offspring. The entitlement society we have now created is the death of self determination and self reliance our founders intended for us. What impossibility has been realized without adversity. Adversity defines the impossible. What individual achievement was realized while having you hand held. Every new venture people tell me they are “into” is always underlined by that person invariably saying they are so “passionate” about it. But when I ask them, ” are you willing to risk you life for it” I’ve only had 1 person say “Yes” without hesitation.
So: Sukie, get over you RSS issues, and John, saying you’ll “do your best” probably won’t cut it. And any “impossible dreamer” who uses OMG in a post, is going to be cannon fodder too!
Here’s one of my favorite quotes:
Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty. Think big.
Daniel Burnham, Chicago architect. (1846-1912)
“Create a daunting adventure that you can’t do on your own and you’ll attract the exact people you need in order to accomplish it.” You are so right. Goethe said: ‘Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.’
Marti-
I love this. Great quotes you have. Excited to have you be a part of this adventure :).
Everything you say here is true. And OMG I love the Shackleton ad! Wherever did you find it?! I work in the entertainment industry; I’m surrounded by those who, in the words of Steven Spielberg, “Dream for a living.” amd, like those in the Walt Disney quote you use as your sign-off tag, think “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” I’ll throw out here for the “for-what-it’s-worth” file my observation that there are plenty of people with BIG dreams . . . worthwhile dreams … exciting dreams. But those who understand that pulling something from the ether into this dimension we call reality requires dedication and focus and hard frickin’ work are few and far between. Pursuing the impossiple is not for the faint of heart.
I’ve seen it in a few places but I love it.
There’s definitely a two-parter to this – DREAMING BIG, but also having the cajones to actually GO BIG and get it done.
The first domain name I bought when trying to set up my new blog was Dream Big Think Small. I eventually ended up with DreamToReality.net but this concept of really letting ourselves dream huge is still a part of my philosophy. Dreaming big is where all the passion is! 🙂
The bigger you let yourself dream, the more you realize how much bigger we can still go.When you get the point where you’re constantly exceeding what you ever dreamt possible, it’s starts to get pretty fun :).
great post! I needed to read this today. thanks for the motivation!!
Sure thing Gabe 🙂
Ernest’s words are scary! But it’s true we have to dream bigger to achieve bigger things!
They’re scary, but the scary adventures are usually the ones most worth doing.
I thought this article was awesome, and it really stuck a cord with me. In less than 4 weeks I’m headed out on a bit of an adventure myself.
I want to create what you’re talking about here, an adventure worth following, worth getting involved in, worth believing in.
You obviously have people interested and engaged here. In your opinion (aside from going big), are there any techniques or strategies that you’ve used to help get people engaged, involved, interested and along for the ride?
Would love to hear your thoughts. 🙂
Do something you think matters, that you’d be interested in doing even if nobody followed along.
Then do that. Invite people to join you.
And care.
We’re building a community of doers and people doing meaningful things at the Impossible League. If you’d like to be a part of what’s going on, we’d love to have you.
Thanks Joel,
Wise words. I’ll do my best. 🙂