This past Memorial Day weekend I decided to revisit my bookshelf to poke around and reminisce with books I'd read over the last decade. You see, I not only like to collect great books, I also date each one to remind me of when I read it. My 'invisible finger' guided me toward a book I read seven years ago titled, "Wealth and Freedom" by David Levin. Wealth and Freedom (I know?sounds boring) is a great read on political economy for non-economists?like me.
In the second chapter titled "Capitalism", Levine dedicates a segment to a phrase made popular by the Economist Joseph Schumpeter; that phrase being 'Creative Destruction' which describes the chaotic changes that occur when a new product (i.e., technology) or service is introduced into the market. For example, remember when the Compact Disc was introduced ushering in the dramatic decline of the use of audio tapes. The most current example is how Digital Video Discs (DVDs) are now ousting VHS tapes from our local video stores. Soon, even DVDs will be replaced by high-speed internet downloads.
What happens to the old products? Gone. What happens to the people that use to work for the audio or VHS tape companies? They eventually move to another position or go to work for these new digital companies. In the end, the consumer wins because a new and more efficient product has been created making our lives more convenient (e.g., no more fast forward, less shelf space for CDs and DVDs, etc.).
Change is the ongoing cycle of capitalism. Introduce a new product. It then creates an upheaval in the marketplace. The upheaval settles into normality until the next creative destruction (new technology) comes along.
As I reread Levine's description of creative destruction, my mind wandered onto the topic of success. I began to think about the many people who are so comfortable with their lives that they don't want anything to change. Yet, many of them live quiet lives of desperation; who deep down inside want change. They want something exciting to happen to their existence. But when something new is introduced into their normal daily life, they're quick to reject it. Herein lay one of the greatest conundrums of success. We want our lives to change, but we don't want anything to change that would cause us to have to make changes. Huh?!
In the marketplace, change is forced upon us by the creative minds of individuals with new ideas and visions. But in our personal space, who will force change upon us? Who will force us to change our habits of failure into habits of success? Who will force us to try something we've never done before? Who will coerce us to move beyond our comfort zone? Who? You, that's who!
Many of us are waiting for a 'change agent', a creative destructive force that will make our lives, in the end, better. Unfortunately, the majority of people wait all their lives for such a creative force of change that never shows up.
I don't need to tell you that you can't wait for a creative destructive force to make you do what needs to be done. No 'great power' is going to intercede in your change until you consciously decide to make it happen. Nothing will happen until you creatively destroy the old patterns that haven't been working over the years.
Creative destruction for you is a commitment to stop, evaluate and redirect your energies toward your aspirations regardless of the unintended consequences. You can't predict what may come when you start to reconstruct your live. You can't prognosticate every outcome. You can't always assuage your fear of failure. What you can do is convince yourself that your present life is not enough and that if something is to dramatically change, you must make a dramatic change in your approach.
So here's what I want you to do. Introduce the cycle of success (creative destruction) into your life. Start a new activity or good habit today. That habit will create some upheaval (i.e., change) in your life which will eventually settle into normality until you introduce the next creatively destructive habit.
Where do you begin? You begin by doing things you've always feared doing. Read a book that will inspire you. Begin by doing little things you've always put off for tomorrow. Begin by taking small risks and a few leaps of faith so you can begin to reformulate, reconstitute, reconstruct the new you while at the same time creatively destroying the old you.
Like anything in life that's worth pursing, change comes with a cost. You will have moments when you are uncertain of the direction your headed. There will be moments when you'll want to revert to the old you because it seems easier. There will be times when you wish you could just go back to your old life. Don't do it! Although these tendencies are a natural reaction to change, you must resist the urge to regress back to mediocrity.
The outcome of creative destruction will not be immediately evident. Only as time passes and as you begin to redefine your life will you be able to appreciate the benefits of your self-inflicted upheaval. New patterns bring new thoughts which lead to even newer patterns of success.
Albert Einstein defined the definition of insanity as doing the same thing, the same way over and over again and expecting a different outcome. Both Einstein and Schumpeter understood that a new YOU will only emerge as a result of a change in YOU.
Victor Gonzalez, top Hispanic motivational speaker and author of "The LOGIC of Success". For more info go to: www.thelogicofsuccess.com or by email www.thelogicofsuccess.com
Culver prom limo ..Start a "round robin" goal letter with others who need... Read More
So you want to expand your horizons by securing a... Read More
It's not new news. It's not some ethereal theory. It's... Read More
Deep down, where it counts, many people do not believe... Read More
Have you ever noticed when playing a video game, or... Read More
Think how often you see a friend or an acquaintance... Read More
All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy... Read More
If you ask most people whether they would like to... Read More
When you hear the words "abundance" and "prosperity", what immediately... Read More
The Winner's Walk is a key strategy in the sport... Read More
You have complete control over your thoughts. Thought patterns develop... Read More
Is it possible to get rich quick using the power... Read More
Frederick W. Smith attended Yale University and wrote a paper... Read More
I've been thinking a lot about what I believe to... Read More
Have you ever thought about how you want to live,... Read More
"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather... Read More
Cost is sometimes a difficult term to define. Here, we... Read More
If you are wishy-washy and undecided about you want and... Read More
Few books have impacted my perspective on human psychologically and... Read More
The ten-year period which followed the stock market crash of... Read More
"If you think you can or you think you can't... Read More
I want to relate to you a story, READ it... Read More
Pops first set the goal in high school, but when... Read More
There is no substitute for direct personal application. Information or... Read More
Arsenal Football Club were the Champions of the Premier league... Read More
Wood Dale limo ..In the Greek tale of creation, a Titan (Greek god)... Read More
I prefer to call the challenges, obstacles, side-tracks, and barriers... Read More
How many times do we fail at something, then attemp... Read More
No one becomes successful by accident. Success requires making a... Read More
About a month ago, I was hit by a car... Read More
I have written much about how, in order to have... Read More
A company entitled "Made for Success" begs the question: Just... Read More
Everybody wants to get to the top, whether it is... Read More
"The secret of success is to make what you are... Read More
So you want to expand your horizons by securing a... Read More
As very few people achieve enlightenment in one lifetime, as... Read More
Here are a few suggestions that I try to put... Read More
Knowing when to disconnect, shut it off, unplug, or walk... Read More
They say that if you really want to stretch yourself... Read More
One of my absolute favorite quotes is from Dwight D.... Read More
Being busy has become a way of life for many... Read More
Something happens when you come to the intersection... Read More
In terms of life success, there are four pretty obvious... Read More
Here are seven essential keys to success. Use these ideas... Read More
Evaluations are a tremendous resource to help us know where... Read More
The power went out. Again!I looked out my second story... Read More
How many of you have ever thought about the link... Read More
When traveling down the road it is always good to... Read More
In this article we mention 7 tips for your success.... Read More
Success isn't all that it's cracked up to be... I'm... Read More
Success |