The comfort of thinking small
A lot of people can be resistant to change. And why should that not be the case? With so much uncertainty in the world, particularly over the last few years, you could be forgiven for not wanting to rock the boat (‘the boat’ in this case being your life). You may even have adopted an ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ attitude.
Incremental change may feel more comfortable as it’s less risky and you’ll probably have less to lose. Also, if it goes wrong, you probably won’t be fired. But can you really make waves, challenge the status quo and achieve big success with small, comfortable changes?
Inspiring business leaders think huge
Virgin founder, Richard Branson has been quoted as saying, “If people aren’t calling you crazy, you aren’t thinking big enough”. Apple founder and visionary, Steve Jobs has urged us to “put a ding in the universe”.
Elon Musk has said he believes low ambition is baked into most companies’ incentive structures[1]. Musk is no stranger to out-of -this-world thinking, quite literally. The Tesla owner has talked of his ambitions to colonise Mars, as well as integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into brains and revolutionise the solar and battery industries. Now, there’s a man whose ambition knows no bounds.
Big ideas for everyday life
However, innovation doesn’t have to revolve around creating something new. Successful ideas can be simple and complement or enhance our everyday lives. It’s big thinking that helped scientists develop Covid-19 vaccines at record pace. There’s even been talk of a ‘pan-coronavirus’ vaccine in the future to include other respiratory illnesses[2].
Ideas for smart factories and ways to revolutionise food production are also at the forefront of big ideas this year. Not to mention the very real pressures we are facing with our dependence on fossil fuels.
This kind of stress may help ignite change in the way we produce and consume energy. For example, work has already begun on linking up electricity grids across the world, with a new cable being built between Norway and the UK[2].
Consider your appetite for risk
Granted, money can be a factor when it comes to putting bold thoughts into action. Investment could be needed and of course for many of us, putting our hard-earned cash into the unknown is scary. Perhaps even more so with all the recent challenges we’ve faced as a society and individually.
It must be said, as a financial adviser, I would never advocate or encourage anyone taking more risk than they can absolutely afford or be comfortable with.
But great risks can come with great rewards. If you’ve had a lightbulb moment that won’t turn off, then why not assess how much you can invest into it (in all senses of the word)? If you’re able to afford the time and money, why not go for it? The world is moving at such a fast pace, you never know where your idea will take you.
Need more sparkle in your life?
I hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s instalment in the Revitalising Your Mojo money and wellness series. For the next article, we’ll be summarising the full series and I may throw in a couple of extra points to help you rekindle your sparkle!
