Earlier this month, we had an ADDO team retreat and spent some time casting vision for the upcoming year.
Aaron, who leads sales and marketing, began his portion by describing his journey to ADDO. He first entertained the idea of joining the team because he deeply respected his good friend, Elizabeth, who had been with ADDO since its early days.
As Aaron recounted the pitch to him, one piece struck me: Elizabeth shared that Garrett and I, the co-founders of ADDO, saw the world as malleable. In other words, we were just crazy enough to believe we could actually change the world.
Most people view life as something that just happens to them. They believe they can control their responses, but they don’t believe they have any real control over their circumstances.
However, there are people who view life differently. There are those who believe they have agency to make things happen.
Businessman and software engineer Marc Andreessen explained it this way: “The world is a very malleable place. If you know what you want, and you go for it with maximum energy and drive and passion, the world will often reconfigure itself around you much more quickly and easily than you would think.”
Too many believe they are incapable of achieving great things, so when they have an idea, they put it up against their laundry list of “what if’s” and settle for something less.
What if someone beats me to the finish line?
What if I can’t raise enough money?
What if I can’t motivate my team?
What if I fail?
Tim Ferris has some helpful thoughts on this phenomenon. He says, “Ninety-nine percent of the world is convinced they are incapable of achieving great things, so they aim for the mediocre middle-ground.
The level of competition is thus fiercest for ‘realistic’ goals, paradoxically making them the most time and energy-consuming.
It is often easier to raise $10,000,000 than it is $1,000,000. . .Unreasonable and unrealistic goals are easier to achieve.”
Here’s my question: Do you have a desire to change the world around you in a big way?
Stop believing the lie that you can’t.
You have agency.
You have ability.
And I believe you have a responsibility.
The world needs you to do something. Your family, your work, your community, and yes, the larger world needs you to act.
So take a chance. Go for it. As the Romans would say: “Fortes fortuna adiuvat!”
Fortune favors the bold.
