"My first word of advice is this: Say yes. In fact, say yes as often as you can. Saying yes begins things. Saying yes is how things grow. Saying yes leads to new experiences, and new experiences will lead you to knowledge and wisdom....An attitude of yes is how you will be able to go forward in these uncertain times."
- Michael Hogan
It is quite common to say no to a new way of life, a new way to learn things, a new way to work, a new way to design your product. We are quite averse to change, even if it means failing to be more than mediocre over and over.
If we were asked what we'd do when a certain way of doing something had resulted in failure, we'd most certainly respond by saying we'd change some aspect of our approach hoping that might make the difference and lead to success. But, this is theory, this is our conscious mind. The subconscious behaves altogether different.
If you have been doing something a certain way and it has been resulting in success for a while, and one day if it fails, you will continue trying to do it the same way hoping you might get it right the next time and start doubting whether you are doing it right. You leave it very late before deciding to change tack and take a new approach and only end up doing it as a drastic measure.
Instead, say yes to new ways and seemingly unconventional options and when the conventional wisdom hits a roadblock, you find it easy enough to move on to the next plausible option and avoid being flustered. Then you can follow in Bob Dylan's footsteps and confound expectations. (Bob Dylan recently said in his MusiCares Person of the Year speech that he confounds expectations for a living).
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