Avoiding a Different Way
“If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.” — Epictetus
The Obstacle
Avoid doing it differently.
Don’t be creative.
Why try something new.
We Have it figured out already.
Doing old things
New ways
Is difficult.
Takes time.
More effort.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Watching a child struggle
To do something simple
Something we have mastered
Is difficult.
We could just show them.
Tell them how to do it.
Our way.
Doing something someone else’s way
Is frustrating.
We have our way.
We could avoid the time it takes to
Come up with a plan
Work together
Find a different way.
If we just do it our way.
The creative process takes time
Patience
Frustration
Failure.
It never works out well
The first time.
Why not just do what we already know?
This is what the Avoider would tell us
About innovation
Creativity
Coaching
Teaching
Learning.
Doing.
If we listen to the Avoider
How do we advance
Get any better
Grow
Optimize
Learn
Perfect
Make something new?
How do we build on what we have
If we avoid innovation
And creation?
The Gift and Opportunity
Watch a child play.
Marvel at the lack of
Rules
Constraints
Inhibitions
Limitations
Placed on being creative.
There is no fear of
The unknown
Trying something new
Doing something crazy
Looking foolish.
They’re creating
Something new
They love the process
Of creating
For no other reason than… creating.
We can remember the
Love for creativity
Innovation
Reworking
Changing
Altering
Updating
Collaborating
Reinventing.
The Avoider would have us skip it
And it would hold us back.
It may take more time the first time
There may be frustration
Setbacks
Failures.
There is a better way of doing everything we’re doing.
Don’t let the Avoider hold us back.
Create.
The Practice of Self-Mastery
Examine the old way
Allow time and frustration
Create something new
Choose collaboration, learning, and experimentation over control
CHEAT CODE: EXAMINE THE OLD → TRY SOMETHING NEW → STAY WITH IT
