| Standing in the gale-force winds, the kid was looking | | | | urgent enough. This is probably the most common |
| queasy. We could all see the storm was growing | | | | limit. |
| more intense. | | | | The biggest need today is for people who will do |
| The rain had already plastered his hair to his forehead | | | | what you and I can't (or won't) do for ourselves. |
| and his new black suit was starting to cling to him in | | | | This includes people who make us feel better. |
| ways Mr. Armani never intended. | | | | Consider the relative public value of a heart surgeon |
| A typhoon was coming -- the seventh this summer | | | | versus a sales clerk. A captivating entertainer or |
| to hit Japan -- and the kid's job, as newest | | | | sports figure versus an office cleaner. A brilliant |
| employee, was to stand in front of a TV camera | | | | attorney versus a typist. |
| while the weather buffeted him about for the nation | | | | It's not my intention to demean anybody who is |
| to watch. Sort of a talking weather vane. | | | | fulfilling any useful role in society. But the smaller |
| I take my exercise along that stretch of beach | | | | paydays almost always go to the person who is |
| every day, and today one of the most powerful | | | | more easily replaced. If nearly anybody can be |
| typhoons on record would soon be upon us. I knew I | | | | quickly trained to do the job, there's lots of |
| couldn't stay too long, or I'd be caught in the wind | | | | competition for that slot, and so the price goes |
| and the torrential downpour. I'd make my walk | | | | down. |
| extra-brief this day. | | | | And the high-profile jobs like brain surgeon, trial |
| But the television crew had a different assignment. | | | | lawyer, pro ball player, or CEO of a multinational -- |
| They, and many other crews like them, are | | | | well, most people won't ever try for those spots, |
| dispatched in satellite equipped trucks to many | | | | meaning there's less competition. So the people who |
| well-known sites all over Japan. These crews provide | | | | do try for these jobs can charge whatever the |
| live reports on the progress of the storms as they | | | | traffic will bear. |
| rip their way up the Japanese archipelago. | | | | This is basic economics, right? We already know all of |
| And the kid in the black suit was their sacrificial lamb | | | | this. But if we already know it, why do we so seldom |
| today. It was his job to get out there, once the | | | | apply it to our own life? Why aren't we qualifying |
| storm reached its peak, and do a show and tell. | | | | ourselves for the absolute top spot in our respective |
| That's what the people huddled at home want to | | | | industries? |
| see, and sponsors will pay well to bring them exactly | | | | In many cases, it's because we unthinkingly shy away |
| what they expect. | | | | from "responsibility." We're scared of a bigger role... a |
| If you've watched a lot of news over the years, | | | | higher profile. We keep ourselves small because... well... |
| you'll know that the greater the devastation, the | | | | we just do, that's all. For example, can you tell me |
| higher the viewer ratings. That's the way it works -- | | | | exactly why you're not the top authority in your |
| more destruction means more interest. | | | | industry? Can I tell why I'm not? |
| In fact, you may recall that Dan Rather got his big | | | | We do know the answer to that, though, don't we? |
| break into national news by doing exactly what this | | | | It's basically cowardice. We're scared spitless of |
| kid was doing -- standing stubbornly in a raging | | | | making ourselves uncomfortable through doing things |
| hurricane and giving moment-by-moment reports to | | | | that we're not sure we can do perfectly. If we tried |
| the viewers at home. | | | | something big and super-ambitious, oh my goodness, |
| The networks find it's profitable programming to | | | | what if we didn't do it very well? |
| report on all the destruction, disruption and deaths. | | | | We don't like to take chances. Don't enjoy big |
| But before we get off on an "Ain't-It-Awful" tangent, | | | | measures of ambiguity in the things we do. So |
| let me say right here that this scene I've just | | | | instead, we plod along like cows coming in from the |
| described carries one of the richest lessons you'll | | | | pasture at evening, regular as clockwork, utterly |
| ever gain. | | | | predictable -- and dependant upon whomever feeds |
| Typhoons and hurricanes cause huge disruptions. | | | | us at the end of the day. |
| Your humanitarian heart empathizes with those | | | | Cows don't take big chances. Neither do sheep. They |
| caught up in the tragedies; aches for them; wants to | | | | stay close to the same territory day after day, year |
| reach out with succor and aid. | | | | after year, clustered together, acting just alike, |
| And I do applaud that urge to give comfort and help | | | | grazing placidly, never having any grand adventures. |
| to those that life dumps on. The feelings are normal | | | | There are few opportunities in the fenced-in pasture. |
| and proper. | | | | Just eat and sleep and grow old. |
| But I suggest that sympathy alone, no matter how | | | | Ah, but the venturing soul slips through the fence, |
| heartfelt, is a one-dimensional (even a | | | | goes into unknown territory, and seeks out new |
| poverty-ridden) way to respond to the world. | | | | things to do. Among us humans, we admire most the |
| Sympathy can be a good thing, but often it's only a | | | | men and women who push past the barriers to new |
| cheap imitation of caring. If it doesn't lead to action, | | | | territory. Record-setting athletes. Inventive new |
| it's basically worthless for anything but show. | | | | artists and writers. Bold leaders who set new |
| However, it's possible to add a second layer of | | | | directions and escort the rest of us into new fields. |
| responses, a layer that involves going out and | | | | Explorers in medicine, literature, flight, business, |
| interacting with that world you're so empathic with. | | | | sports. |
| Furthermore, since you've been seeking some way | | | | People who go out seeking new places to find, new |
| to gain wealth, let me say this. You've just found it. | | | | levels to achieve, new problems to solve. |
| It's called action. | | | | If you want your income and your life to expand, |
| Action -- appropriate action in response to the | | | | you're going to have to explore. Go out there past |
| problems and tragedies you see around you can | | | | the edge of what you already know, past the |
| make you not only a better person, but a very rich | | | | comfortable, to a place where you're unsure what |
| one as well. It can allow you to provide far greater | | | | your outcome is going to be. |
| aid to those in need than you could ever accomplish | | | | You, in a very real sense, become a gambler. But you |
| with an aching heart alone. | | | | will be gambling on the only thing in the universe |
| And the profits from your actions will help you stay | | | | that's worth the action -- yourself. |
| in business long-term so you can continue helping | | | | It has been said that the real reason for becoming |
| your fellowman. | | | | rich and successful is not the money or the fame. It's |
| Now, you may already be running a business. If so, | | | | the joy of being the person you have to become in |
| you're providing people with some kind of solution to | | | | order to achieve those goals of yours. |
| their problems. Are you being well paid for your | | | | Know this: You'll never achieve those goals as you |
| solutions? | | | | are now. |
| If so, that's good. | | | | You really must become a whole different person. A |
| But if you're not being well rewarded for your | | | | bigger person. A stronger, more capable person. |
| efforts, there are only three possible reasons. | | | | And how do you do that? You stretch yourself. You |
| 1. You're not telling enough people about yourself. | | | | make yourself uncomfortable, and you stay that |
| 2. You're not very convincing because you don't | | | | way until you grow into it. |
| believe you're very good at what you do. | | | | That's the true (and only) price of success. |
| 3. You may not be solving problems that are big or | | | | |