But doing so flies in the face of everything that has come before, and all those who have played a part in building that. Self Authorship calls us to stand in our own authority and challenge the status quo. To live in the tension between an outdated old and the innovation of better new.
Empathy is the ability to put yourself in the shoes of another person so that you can understand how they might feel, or think or act in a particular situation. When unmet needs are uncovered for large numbers of potential customers the excitement of large Total Addressable Markets beckons.
When we apply this concept to the domain of business we call it Innovation. Originality is the opposite of habit, and is founded in a conscious choice to reawaken to the question of how best to meet someone’s needs. Playfulness, creativity, design, humility and curiosity are all expressions of our innate capacity for being original. Originality and innovation takes us to new places.
Sometimes all we need is a reminder of that. The principle of stretching lies at the core of entrepreneurship, and in fact all ambitious initiatives. Stretching beyond what we think we’re capable of is critical to building a better organisation, or a better mouse-trap. Stretching is a necessary prerequisite for reaching forward. For greatness.
Pride is an internal and authentic measure of our sense of Doing the right thing and Doing the thing right. It’s an essential compass that we benefit from listening to. It directs our path. It measures our progress. Taking pride connects us into a world of values and meaning; a closer connection to pride always results in big wins for whatever work we’re engaged with.