There are three types of people in the world. There are the can-do's, the can't-do's and the watchers. The can't-do's are comprised of those who make excuses why things can't be done. For this type of person their excuses are valid, logical, and endless. It is not that don't want things to change, it's more of an internal belief that the changes just won't work. Dr. Daryl Watkins address a list of 50 reasons most commonly used by people who just don't (or won't) accept change in his presentation 50 Reasons not to Change. Unfortunately, there are a lot of can't do's in the world either by a lack of understanding, education, or unwillingness to swim against the current. Maybe it is because risk is a two sided coin, or they like "the way things are".
The second group of people are the can do's. To these folks anything and everything is possible. Obstacles are opportunities in disguise, and hurdles are there to make accomplishment that much more rewarding. These are the people who have established democracy, sent men to the moon, and fought for human rights. They will find a way to make things work. To these types of people there is always a way, they just have to find it. Fortunately, there very few of these types of people because the efforts of the few have always effected the greatest change.
And then there are the watchers. These are the undecided ones. The "maybe" people. They can be swayed towards the can't-do's through hesitation, or towards the can-do's by inspiration. "What if" is the deciding question the watchers ask themselves. This is the fence they sit on, and they are susceptible to influence.
When I was clicking through Dr. Watkins' presentation I was thinking to myself, "Yep, I have heard that before". Heck, I've even said them before. I admittedly accept that I was a can-do trapped inside a can't-do for a long time. For me, it took stepping out of my bubble, interacting with people who often failed, but never failed to get the job done. I started to meet a few people who quit on quitting, and was unshackled from my can't-do self. My father used to tell me that if one can do it so can another, they just might have to try harder. Now, I don't even acknowledge the excuses of the can't-do. They are just one more obstacle in my way towards progress. However, when I hear some of the reasons not to change I become more aware of the type of people I am working with, which helps me gauge the amount of effort I will expect to put in to prove them wrong.
The biggest difference between the can't-do's and the can-do's is attitude. If you believe, you can achieve. Our attitudes are directly affected by the changes we encounter on a daily basis. We either focus on the negatives or on the positives. Seth Godin opened his TedTV speech, The Tribes We Lead, by arguing that what we do is try to change everything. We try to focus on what bothers us and either complain about or try to fix it. He talks about Nathan Winograd who effectively changed PETA from an animal destroying agency to one that adopts out abandoned animals. He talks about Henry Ford who changed the way we manufactured automobiles. He talks about the can-do's and how making a positive difference can help reshape the world we live in. In essence Seth Godin is talking about converting the can't-do's and watchers into can-do's through action. He talks about tribes, and how people seek out others with shared interests. This is an important concept that reminds us that we do belong to a society, large or small, and positive changes can occur with just a spark among the tribe. We don't have to change the world, but if we infect our "tribe" with a can-do attitude and make positive changes within our "tribe" those changes could spread to other tribes and possibly effect change on a grand scale.
I chose to be a can-do. It is a choice. I have to listen for the seedlings of the can't-do's and squash them before they take root. There is no way I can convert all the can't-do's, but I can sway a few watchers and surely I can surround myself with can-do's. I do this by being positive, seeking out what bothers me and changing it, and infecting those around me with a can-do attitude. I don't have to change the world, but I can grab a hold of a good idea and give reasons for others to follow me. This is how I will make a stand and change our world... one tribe at a time.
JP
The second group of people are the can do's. To these folks anything and everything is possible. Obstacles are opportunities in disguise, and hurdles are there to make accomplishment that much more rewarding. These are the people who have established democracy, sent men to the moon, and fought for human rights. They will find a way to make things work. To these types of people there is always a way, they just have to find it. Fortunately, there very few of these types of people because the efforts of the few have always effected the greatest change.
And then there are the watchers. These are the undecided ones. The "maybe" people. They can be swayed towards the can't-do's through hesitation, or towards the can-do's by inspiration. "What if" is the deciding question the watchers ask themselves. This is the fence they sit on, and they are susceptible to influence.
When I was clicking through Dr. Watkins' presentation I was thinking to myself, "Yep, I have heard that before". Heck, I've even said them before. I admittedly accept that I was a can-do trapped inside a can't-do for a long time. For me, it took stepping out of my bubble, interacting with people who often failed, but never failed to get the job done. I started to meet a few people who quit on quitting, and was unshackled from my can't-do self. My father used to tell me that if one can do it so can another, they just might have to try harder. Now, I don't even acknowledge the excuses of the can't-do. They are just one more obstacle in my way towards progress. However, when I hear some of the reasons not to change I become more aware of the type of people I am working with, which helps me gauge the amount of effort I will expect to put in to prove them wrong.
The biggest difference between the can't-do's and the can-do's is attitude. If you believe, you can achieve. Our attitudes are directly affected by the changes we encounter on a daily basis. We either focus on the negatives or on the positives. Seth Godin opened his TedTV speech, The Tribes We Lead, by arguing that what we do is try to change everything. We try to focus on what bothers us and either complain about or try to fix it. He talks about Nathan Winograd who effectively changed PETA from an animal destroying agency to one that adopts out abandoned animals. He talks about Henry Ford who changed the way we manufactured automobiles. He talks about the can-do's and how making a positive difference can help reshape the world we live in. In essence Seth Godin is talking about converting the can't-do's and watchers into can-do's through action. He talks about tribes, and how people seek out others with shared interests. This is an important concept that reminds us that we do belong to a society, large or small, and positive changes can occur with just a spark among the tribe. We don't have to change the world, but if we infect our "tribe" with a can-do attitude and make positive changes within our "tribe" those changes could spread to other tribes and possibly effect change on a grand scale.
I chose to be a can-do. It is a choice. I have to listen for the seedlings of the can't-do's and squash them before they take root. There is no way I can convert all the can't-do's, but I can sway a few watchers and surely I can surround myself with can-do's. I do this by being positive, seeking out what bothers me and changing it, and infecting those around me with a can-do attitude. I don't have to change the world, but I can grab a hold of a good idea and give reasons for others to follow me. This is how I will make a stand and change our world... one tribe at a time.
JP
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