Yesterday’s post generated several comments, two of which prompt me to clarify what I meant.

Olessya said, ‘… I have a different vision of what happens when you “totally use up” your box content and find its sides. In my opinion, one can’t/shouldn’t (?) form a new box; the BOX, YOUR BOX, remains, it just takes on different shapes, sizes, looks, but can’t be totally replaced with a new one, it would take away TRUE YOU with it. Total replacement DOES take place, but seldom, once/twice in your lifetime, and it’s fundamental. And it’s like reincarnation.’

Gorgeoux said, ‘… the box remains and a new one is formed around it.’

This isn’t about replacement or boxes within boxes, it’s about expansion. Everything that existed in the old box continues to exist, but new dimensions are added, because the box is larger.

And it especially isn’t about ‘using up’ what’s in your box, it’s about choosing to explore beyond what’s known and/or comfortable—but it’s OK if you don’t. We all push our boundaries as we grow, it happens through experience and just plain living—and we’re not even conscious of doing it.

Some enjoy consciously pushing back their boundaries in evolutionary ways, exploring new areas a bit at a time. Still others take a revolutionary approach and willingly leap into the unknown, not knowing where they will land or if they’ll survive. Very scary—but the unknown has always been scary.

Most of us combine all three types, with ascendancy changing depending on what’s happening in our world—as well as the larger world.

What needs to be understood is that the person who leaps into the unknown is not intrinsically more valuable than the person whose box enlarges incrementally through their own life experiences.

All three types, along with their almost infinite combinations, are necessary for life, and Life, to continue on our planet.

Look at this list (incomplete, at best) of great innovators from the past 75 years; then think of all the people who enhanced/changed/added to the original ideas; add on all the lives involved, one way or another, with these ideas.

All have value within their own world—what is different is the size of the innovators worlds, hence the perception of higher value. Not all of us want/can change the world, but each of us can take care of/improve our little bit of it.

As for me, I’d hate to live in a world where all the little bits were a mess because everybody was out changing the whole.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 14th, 2006 at 11:25 am and is filed under Business info, Culture, Leadership, Motivation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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