Look for the adventure!

I just bagged a pile of leaves (finally) and hung up the last of the outdoor Christmas lights. I have checked e-mails that have been neglected for over a week, and I am now in the basement hiding from the kids. I think I might be able to blog.

2008 has been a crazy year. My wife and I vowed at the beginning of the year that the theme for 2008 would be "The Year of BIG." We each committed to playing a big game in life - and expecting big results in return. Now with the year almost coming to a close - the idea of big has taken on different meaning.

We have gone through a lost this past year. From work to where we live - it is not what we expected. I am going to be careful here to not put any judgment on whether I feel the outcome is "good or bad," but rather - interesting.

The last couple of months I have touched base with friends all over the country. There seems to be this consistent thread of major life transforming events with each person I talk to. These are events that on the surface could represent struggle, tragedy, or disappointment - but I don't think most of my friends are just looking at these events on the surface.

Most of us can relate that there seems to be some HUGE transformation taking place all over the world. Right here in the US - we are celebrating the historical election of our first ever African-American president. This is no small thing. There seems to be tectonic shifts happening in everything from politics, to the environment, social issues, and the economy.

Ahhhh, the economy. This is something everyone seems to relate to right now. It kind of feels like the economy is the Titanic, and we're all scrambling for life-boats. Or, maybe that's just me ;)

The interesting thing about the economy is that everyone seems to have accepted the fact that this is the time to "pack it in," "play it safe," and "ride out the storm." Besides, if we can all just hold on long enough - everything will go back to normal. Right?

I am not so sure.

I would like to suggest that there may be something even bigger going on. Something BOLDER. This shift we are feeling in the world seems to be exposing the flaws in an economic structure we have been ignoring for a long time. I am not an economist, nor do I play one on TV, but I do know that as thought changes - so do our structures and expectations. The fall of the banking industry seemed to pull back the veil of a way of doing business that is greedy, irresponsible, and outdated. It is as if we finally got to the ground floor of this mighty palace - and found out it was built on sand. Whoops.

Next in line, here come the automakers with the thought, "Hey, if they bailed out our buddies, why not us?"

I don't think so.

Look around and take stock of what people are thinking about. More and more, people are talking about eco-friendly products and socially responsible organizations. They want to know how their foods are grown, and where their toys are made. What for a long time felt like causes for people on the fringe are starting to show up each night in your living room.

The world is getting flatter, people are getting greener, and Oprah's Webcasts with Eckhart Tolle proved for 10 weeks that people want to have a better understanding of who they are.

The internet has given us instant access - and it is becoming harder and harder for the mighty Wizard behind the curtain to keep us all fooled. Not anymore!

So, with the 2008 coming to an end - I do believe in my heart this has been "the year of BIG!" I just didn't realize the BIG was a lot BIGGER than me.

Back in October, I hosted the 2008 WorldBlu Live Conference on Organizational Democracy. For two days, business leaders from all over the world articulated how a new vision of business is being sewn. Many of these companies are leaders in their industry, and their stories would amaze you, yet many of you have probably never heard of them. These are companies built on freedom and employee empowerment, social responsibility, and doing things the right way - the only way.

One speaker, Mark Dowd, of a company called Brainpark made a point that really stuck with me. In talking about the current economy he commented how this would be an easy time to duck and cover, and wait for things to rebound. He then said, "In the midst of turmoil, we need to be looking for adventure." He then went on to describe how it is precisely times like we are in now that allow for world changing movements. What better time for the auto industry to transform? What better time for the banking industry to reinvent itself?

It is these moments where real leaders and pioneers step to the front and reveal a path unseen.

In thinking of the banking industry - and how now is the time for transformation - I was reminded of a man who has already blazed a trail on this path. His name is Dr. Muhammad Yunus, and some years ago he returned to his homeland of India to teach economics at a university. Over time, he realized that while he was teaching all sorts of economic concepts in class, he couldn't get past the brutal poverty he walked through to and from work. As he began to talk with these people, he found out they were not poor from choice, but honest hard-working people who could not get out from under the rock they lived. These were skilled workers selling their goods, but as he discovered, they had to buy their supplies at such a high cost it left them with little profit margin. If they could actually borrow some money, it would give them the ability to cut out the middle man and actually turn a higher profit. So, Dr. Yunus went to every bank in town, and they refused to give any loans to these people, even with Yunus as a co-signer. In many cases, these people needed as little as $50 to get over the hump, but the banks still felt they would never see their money again.

Dr. Yunus disagreed. He started giving out the loans himself, and as he expected, the loans were paid back. He began doing this from town to town all over India to prove to the banks it wasn't a fluke, but they still would not budge. So instead, he started his own banks built on giving micro-loans to the poor - and now they are all over India. In 2006 he won the Nobel Peace Prize, and you can read all about his experience in his book.

As he puts it, "It's not people who aren’t credit-worthy. It’s banks that aren’t people-worthy." —Muhammad Yunus

So in concluding one of my longest blogs ever - I just want to say to everyone (including myself) - that this is the time to look at your own life and find the adventure. This is the time to own the situation, instead of letting the situation own you. This is the time to write your own rules and be a part of the transformation. Embrace it. Love it! It is scary - but if you can get yourself out of the way - the potential is limitless.

As Steven Covey has said, "You can't change the fruit unless you change the root." You cannot keep doing things the same way and waiting for another result. Look at your values, your beliefs, and visions - these are your roots. If you don't like the fruit on your tree - than take a look at these.

I just want to say Happy Holidays to everyone. Much love -and I will end with this...

I want to be your coach in 2009! Give me a call.

Much love,

Travis
561.676.4583