This article is being “penned” from 31,000 ft above somewhere over middle America on a trip that started in Oregon this morning and ends in Charelston, SC tonight. If that sentence right there didn’t blow your mind… why not?
How about this… I’m typing this on this light as a feather MacBook Air laptop w/ a 12 hour battery life, it can store something like 70,000 songs, hundreds of HD movies, or almost limitless files of “whatever else” I wanted to put on here.
You see, this article isn’t about how cool these gadgets are or the “international exploits” of a Roseburg based entrepreneur… this article is about how unreasonable thinking is what truly drives positive change in our world… and here at home.
“Just Be Realistic”
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had people tell me “that won’t work”, “That can’t be done”, “That’s impossible”, “Why not just aim your sights a bit more realistic”, and “Just be happy with the way things are”. Heck, we’ve all thought it. All of us who dream to be creators in this world rather than just consumers hear that every day if you’re pushing the boundaries enough to actually matter.
Most people hear those remarks from people and let doubt creep in their minds… and give up their dreams. But those who choose to challenge what’s “normal” and who choose to set out to be “unreasonable”, are the ones that are creating the most impact in the lives of others.
Barely over 100 years ago it was “unreasonable” that people would be able to fly across this country in hunk of metal from coast to coast in less than 6 hours… the norm was a multi-week long drive, a several day long train treck, or before that, a several month deadly journey in a wagon. It was unreasonable that someone could harness electricity and make it turn a light bulb on. It was even once “unreasonable” to think that women would be able to vote. And this computer I’m typing on… everything about it 15 years ago was completely unreasonable… even to some smart people who should have known better.
All of these examples were once considered completely unreasonable (even bordering on “crazy”)… but someone with courage stood up and said, “Nope, it can be done… and I’m going to make it happen”.
Entrepreneurs Should Be Unreasonable
Entrepreneurs by nature should be unreasonable. If you’re not called crazy at least once in your life, you’re not trying hard enough.
If you’re not questioning what’s normal and coming up with ideas that people would say are “never gonna happen”… you’re not giving yourself enough credit.
If you’re one of the people who is continually skeptical about the “hair brained” ideas someone you know comes up with… realize that it just may be you that’s the unreasonable one… thinking that something can’t be done in this day and age that we live in.
Locally over the next 5 years some things are going to happen to this Roseburg entrepreneur community that a lot of people here currently think are “unreasonable”.
Whether you think it can be done or not, this area is going to be seen as one of the entrepreneurial hubs of Oregon and entrepreneurs are going to move from across the state (even the country) to live, work, create jobs, and help build an even better culture here.
Cities like Portland, Bend, Eugene, Medford, even ones across the country will look at Roseburg and and say… “How the heck is that little town doing that?”. If you don’t think so, if you think that’s “unreasonable”… think again, because it’s already starting to happen right under your nose. Why? Because a group of us are making it happen.
Be unreasonable. The world needs you. Your community needs you.
Heck, if you want to be really “crazy”… come join us in our efforts to create a rural entrepreneurial hub here in Southern Oregon. Momentum is building pretty fast… entrepreneurs are already beginning to move here… and we can definitely use some more sharp minds who want to do big things. Just ask Ben Settle why he made the move… and why others are following suit as I type.
Hi Trevor, great article. In my 32 years of entrepreneurship experience I have only met a handful of people around the world who were really in a comfort zone, everyone was in a FEAR zone. They fear change, they fear the unknown, they fear the cost, they fear what do I have to give up, the fear of how much time does it take, the fear of I don’t know how, and the biggest fear of all “what if I fail fear”. Therefore I do believe that about 97% percent of the people live in the Fear zone rather than the Comfort zone and therefore never having the capacity to engage in the Un-reasonable thinking that make the rest of us successful at what ever we pursue. Thanks for your leadership.
GREAT distinction Al! And you’re totally right. Most people have fear thats pushing them back and holding them down.
On the flip side… I feel that as a result of the fear… they justify delaying action (or not taking action) because of the comfort zone they’re in. “Well, I’ve got a good job that pays the bills… I’ll just stick with this”. So yes, fear is the wall… the comfort zone is the way they justify not climbing the wall.
Great comment Al!
– Trevor