When I accepted my son’s last-minute invitation to see the new summer blockbuster Inception on Sunday, I thought it would be a pleasant diversion. (Which it was, quite the brain thriller.)
Little did I know it would hold something I’d want to share with you.
You see, Leonardo DiCaprio plays a fellow who desperately wants one thing, and he’s given the chance to get it if he can pull off one job, a task that seems impossible. But he knew he could do it.
Why?
Because he’d done something like it before.
What about that organization you most want to advance: how does it take on the seemingly impossible and make a dramatic leap into its future?
Well, if you’ve been with me, you know the answer is found in its strengths. The movie reminded me of a different kind of strength than we’ve been talking about — your distinctive history and accomplishments.
Here’s what I mean: Years ago, I did some work with the folks who played an “astonishing role in recent world history” (as the Washington Post put it) when they brought us the Green Revolution in agriculture.
They wanted to move from relying only on nations as donors and to pursue individuals and foundations. And they seemed to think this was new to them, and a daunting task.
The funny thing is, our work on planning this future took place in the Sasakawa Room, next door to the Rockefeller Room. So somewhere along the way they’d already connected in a meaningful way with some serious individual donors.
Remembering those experiences — learning from their own history — was key to having the confidence to move forward. (If you’ve been to a recent workshop, you’ll recall the historical timeline that we do; that’s what they did.)
What we think we “need” is often right in front of our noses. When you first look at where you’ve been, even a bold future can feel like coming home, instead of jumping off a cliff.
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