The problem with the edge

edgeI recently wrote  a post about the finding the edge.  How finding it is one of the most important things you can do.  That’s because it’s at the edges where you grow, and where change really happens. But the problem with the edge is that a lot of people never find it.

The first problem with the edge is that most people are afraid of it.  Afraid to be too edgy, or afraid they might go too far.  That they might be ridiculed or worse yet, that they might fall and feel too much pain.  But the good news is you can always get up and try again.  So the challenge is to go anywys. To take emotional risks,  reach out to people who may say no and to try things that might not work but if it did work could change everything.  Because that’s where the big reward is.

Another problem is that edges are different for everyone.  This means there’s no rulebook or step-by-step guide, you just have to do it. Feel your way through.  Figure out the hard part of whatever is you’re working on and do that first.

The last problem is that the edges change over time.  Like your favorite Chicago Bears sweater you used to wear all the time but that got stretched out and now is way too big.   Or ideas that seemed creative three years ago, like crowdfunding and Instagram, but now are more common than ever.  Like those examples, your edge changes over time and gets redefined, so you have to keep pushing.

Edges are scary and sometimes might feel impossible to find. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look for them.  Because in the end, the edges are where real change happens.

So have you started looking yet?  What are you waiting for?

Thursday, December 19th, 2013 Business School, Leadership

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Jeremy C Wilson is a JD-MBA alumni using his site to share information on education, the social enterprise revolution, entrepreneurship, and doing things differently. Feel free to send along questions or comments as you read.

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The contents of this blog are mine personally and do not reflect the views or position of Kellogg, Northwestern Law, the JD-MBA program, or any firm that I work for. I only offer my own perspective on all issues.
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