Comments on: Accepting “The Way Things Are” (Not!)

By: Ron Wilkinson

Ron Wilkinson — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:57:49 +0000

The way things are is simply the way you allow them to be. In a not-for-profit the concept of Social Enterprise is an exciting and energizing way of creating additional revenue streams and additional value for your enterprise without compromising your mission statement or your core competencies. The key to mission work of any kind is to have the funds to care for the people you have chosen to serve. If it means opening a photo shop or coffee house or selling goods online then GO FOR IT! The money you make can tide you over until your donors return to you or your investment account recovers or your collections improve. Long term those funds will help you serve more people, make leasehold improvements, or give much needed raises to your staff. Open your mind, create a business plan, make it happen.

Ron Wilkinson
CasualBusinessSolutions
(website coming soon…)

By: Sahadev Mahat

Sahadev Mahat — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:05:04 +0000

Dear Jim,

You always inspire us with new ideas. I am really grateful and very much touched with your commitment to make a difference in people. This particular message has helped me a lot to explore new possibilities in what I am trying to accomplish in Nepal. Thanks a lot!

With best regards,
Sahadev

By: Jim Lord

Jim Lord — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:51:39 +0000

Did y’all notice that Vibha, who lives in India, wrote about not using her surname? Maybe she’ll write a note of the significance of refusing to go along with the “way things are.”

And Rosemary, who is in Serbia among other places, mentioned her idea of “island of achievement.” I want to tell you that that idea will soon be published in book form.

I’m so proud — and full of gratitude on this Thanksgiving Day here in the U.S. — of both of these “alums” of the Quest workshop and my leadership program.

By: Rosemary

Rosemary — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:51:45 +0000

Dear Jim:
I pondered your question for a while. I got to thinking about my “islands of achievement” and how I am trying to change peoples’ pictures (and consequently their actions) in terms of dealing with the world’s “failed” states.
What came to mind was the discussions I had with the former leaders of the Somali National Movement while I was in Hargeisa, Somaliland, in August and September. They are part of a people who refused to accept the way things had been (in Somalia), so much so they were prepared to fight to be free, and then – when many of their cities had been razed to the ground, started to rebuild – even though no one in the outside world recognized them as an independent state.
The SNM is probably the only liberation movement in Africa that has ever, willingly, handed over power to civilians when their fighting was done. I asked them why that was, and they said that they were determined – even in the liberation struggle – to avoid recreating the kind of authoritarian dictatorship that brought Somalia to disaster. In other words, they didn’t want to become like the people they were fighting against. They believed so much in democracy that they lived it, even during the challenges of fighting Said-Barre’s forces.
Once their goal was achieved, they worked with the civilians to build a new country.
A key part of building that new country was deciding not to settle old scores, because some clans had supported the government and some had supported the SNM. To build a new society, they needed everyone – even when they had been on opposite sides of the war.
That was a very brave decision, because many dreadful things were done during those years of fighting They decided that reconciliation was the only way forward, and that is how they built their state – on a basis of reconciliation, hard work, and everyone pitching in to do whatever they could and give whatever they could.
That meant having hundreds of small meetings, that eventually grew into bigger meetings, all self-funded with help from their diaspora – but no one else. People donated space, food. The women cooked – and watched from the door. However, while it is the men who do the talking, the women pushed men back inside the room, if they tried to leave, so they wouldn’t leave til they reached agreement.
The women told me that in 1993, in Borama, they urged the new government to create a police force – and when they did, the small businesswomen of Hargeisa bought the uniforms for the police. A businessman funded the printing of the new Somaliland shilling. My friend Edna Adan Ismail paid for the rubber stamps for the new customs officials.
A man in the diaspora, working in Yemen, heard on the BBC that people from Djibouti had to come and go in a single day, because there was no hotel in Hargeisa. So he started to build one, with his earnings from his work in Yemen – and now it is the Mansoor Hotel, where key meetings still take place. More recently, another businessman decided to build a hotel on the other side of Hargeisa (the poorer side), even though people told him he was crazy, and his hotel both inspired redevelopment of the surrounding area and has helped further with reconciliation among clans.
Edna built a hospital to serve the women and children; she used her UN pension (she worked for WHO for many years), taught women how to make mud bricks when they wanted to help, supervised construction from her “office” under the tree in the front yard, and lived alone in the half finished building for almost a year. She sold her jewellery to buy toilets and sinks for the hospital.
There are hundreds of similar stories.
So that was what comes to mind for me, on the question of ‘accepting the way things are’.

By: Vibha

Vibha — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:47:20 +0000

What a thought provoking as wel as inspiring messgae Jim. It has come to at a time when I am CHOOSING yet another time in my life to a risk. The risk of questioning the status quo (of unfair practices), the risk of being vulnerable in many ways yet sticking to my conviction of being the voice who do’nt count because they are nobody’s votebank – they are children.

I still face the question for not writing my surname and every time I answerthat, I my lil way, I break the status quo.

Your workshops give me energy and sense of belonging to a franternity who is lke minded and is doing such acts of courage in different part of the world. Much appreciated Jim. Thank you.

By: Jim Lord

Jim Lord — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:39:47 +0000

Each of these comments deserves further comment!

At the moment, I feel compelled to pause for Jastus’. He has come to workshops and the leadership program from his home in Kenya.

And so I’d like to point out the *ocean* in the middle that he’s crossed so often in pursuit of his vision of learning — and John Barger who nominated him and provided scholarship support, among other support Justus has tenaciously secured.

If you’ve met him, you know that Jastus, as gentle-hearted as he is, still is a man who goes after what he wants, always respectful, but just the same always questioning “Why does it have to be this way?” … finding a work-around so he doesn’t have to accept “the way things are.”

I’ll bet there’s a correlation between those like Jastus who want these experiences so much they go to these lengths, and the kind of influence they end up having — as he’s shown in his report from the field over the past few months: http://bit.ly/LFCK0

Thank you Jastus and all — for being in my world.

By: Jastus Suchi Obadiah

Jastus Suchi Obadiah — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:23:08 +0000

Jim, thanks for this, it reminds me about what you mentioned earlier about feasibility study, which discourages people to move forward because many times the report is negative.

I remember one of lecturers at the University told us when we were studying a subject called: Study skills, and told us never to make goals that depended on others, she said that we should make goals that mostly depend on our self, so we manage its direction, but at the same time accept the situation as it is and make adjustment accordingly. I say that when I want something, and I can see it (my vision), it does not matter what is in the middle (whether valleys/ mountains, rivers etc). Thanks again for this energizing discussion.

By: sharon joy

sharon joy — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:50:35 +0000

thank you jim for asking these difficult questions.

i think i found my answers even before i opened your mail. the answers came last night as i read the journal of a friend. the subject was on ‘grounding’ and what it means to be spiritually grounded in palawan, an island south of manila.

http://innerdance.multiply.com/journal/item/199

i visited palawan a couple of weeks ago, and somehow, i experienced how it is to be more accepting of things, to flow in the water of life and find my peace.

i’m sure my context is different jim, but just the same i’m sharing my thoughts with you, as you have abundantly shared yours.

By: Olen Jones

Olen Jones — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:49:33 +0000

I find that sometimes that “authority” is me!

By: McClain Bybee

McClain Bybee — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:45:50 +0000

Jim

When I read your thoughts this morning, my mind immediately went to a number of says I have close at hand that I review when times seem difficult. I want to share some of those sayings with all of us:

“Do not let things that you cannot do interfer with the things you can do!” John Wooden

“Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal – my strength lies solely in my tenacity.” Louis Pasteur

“What we need to teach ourselves and our children is defiant optimism. The best careers are yet to be designed; the best organizations yet to be formed; the best governments yet to be built; the best books yet to be written – the best is yet to come!”
Charles Garfield

“I have always believed that action alone will remove the doubt that ideas, theories, plans, suggestions and endless talk can never change.” Jon Huntsman, Philanthropist

And last but not least – the great Guru Yoda – “Do. or do not. There is no try!”

McClain