5 leaps of faith to avoid a Medusa complex
“My dear fellow, delusions, delusions, delusions”. Few actors today could muster the intensity of Richard Burton in his prime. For that matter, Richard Burton at any time.
One might struggle to see a rerun of him in The Medusa Touch these days, as - slight spoiler alert - tv companies appear to invoke censorship because of a scene in which an airliner crashes into a tall building. Either that or film critics can’t recognise a decent film when they see one. To be fair it wasn’t one of Burton’s best but despite thirty-odd years since its release, I’m still mindful of the excellent script about prophecy the man from the Welsh valleys delivered with sardonic relish.
Businesspeople are rather more concerned with profit than prophets. Omen and portent offered by economists or industry experts tend to excite journalists though it’s often classed in the same category as government spin, falling on mostly cynical commercial ears. All to frequently the ‘Chicken Little’ doomsayers evidence nought but fear, while futurist gurus (read: fanatasists) are unable to cite specifics for the realists. So, armed with PESTLE and SWOT analysis sheets, with trusted accountant and legal team to hand - perhaps even Tarot decks or other forms of divination - how can we generate faith in the future, the kind of certified guarantee favoured by the banking fraternity in these challenging times.
Bluntly, we can’t.
Anyone who has run a business, even contemplated it without taking that leap of faith, knows the only guarantee is uncertainty. Rather obvious, yet counterpoint to the faith we have - or are asked to have - in an economic system based on satisfying securities.
This means risk management is the name of the game. Balancing our own definition of risk against the perception held by our creditors. Perception is everything.
In the film, Richard Burton’s character John Morlar believed he had the power not only to predict disaster, but create catastrophe. He felt it was a curse rather than a blessing, seemingly unable to prevent the outcome. In other words, to quote Henry Ford: “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.”
I meet a lot of business owners. Some are unreasonably optimistic. Even past the point of calling in the liquidators. Others could not be more pessimistic if they tried. All of them take a view about why they do what they do to enable the realisation of the future; their definition of happiness.
What do you think you can do in your business? Or think you can’t do? How much do you self-limit your perception? Do you now avoid taking leaps of faith because you had a bad experience in the past?Have you become a doom-mongerer, eyes peeled for the sky falling in?
Here’s five leaps of faith to avoid getting a Medusa complex and becoming a creator of catastrophe:
1. If you find yourself habitually talking or thinking negatively about situations, people, even yourself, try affirming the opposite. Avoid speaking with negative people. Many people sell fear, that’s their product, so for peace of mind take a leap of faith and stay away from those who can’t bring themselves to say anything uplifting or inspiring.
2. Take a leap of faith and stop trying to figure it all out by yourself. Get advice from those who have been there, are there - those who have emerged from the intellectual thicket you’re now stuck in, the other side of the situation. 20:20 hindsight is valuable.
3. Trust your intuition. Logic has a place but it doesn’t own the freehold. Intellect alone has been unable to solve the world’s ills. I venture many of your greatest insights, moments of clarity and business successes have come from what we call chance, serendipity, synchronicity and luck. Sure, hard work and intelligence gets us there but I imagine you’ve felt it’s been a mistake to ignore a hunch or gut feel about something.
4. Be discerning about your decisions. Perhaps you’re impatient at the lack of progress. You’re maybe a seat-of-the-pants type of business owner. Do you scatter your energies, struggling to follow-through and complete a task or project? Take a leap of faith and concentrate your focus, diligently seeing it through to conclusion. You might be amazed at being able to draw upon hidden strengths, talents and energy.
5. Let go. Learn to trust your staff, your suppliers, your customers. Let go of attachment to the outcome. Let yourself be present in the moment, to appreciate the journey, enjoy the fruits of your labour, to acknowledge and be thankful for what you have, rather than bemoan striving for what you do not have. Most of us in the developed world take for granted an accumulation of possessions, excess of food, trappings of material preoccupation. Aspiration can be beneficial, obsession can be delusional. Relax about the past and know that the future is born from the thoughts and actions in the present.
I’d love to hear about your leaps of faith…