I'm here to cross the swamp

Not to fight the alligators

Hi! Today’s sticky is one of my all-time favorites.

I am here today to cross the swamp, not to fight all the alligators. ​​- Rosamund Stone Zander, The Art of Possibility

The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and her husband Ben Zander was one of those life-changing books that opened my eyes to a world beyond my imagination. I love it and have gifted it to several people.

I’m a big picture person and enjoy looking at the swamp. But I’ve worked alongside people who were overly focused on the alligators, forgetting that we have a swamp to cross.

Here’s a bit I wrote last year:

It’s easy to get sidetracked. You’re crossing the swamp and have to get past some alligators. Maybe over time you become really good at fighting alligators (winning is fun!) and forget why you’re there in the first place. Or you hire expert alligator fighters who realize they’ll be out of a job if you finally cross the swamp, so they keep you focused on alligators. Multiply that by hundreds or thousands. Now you’re leading an organization.

Whatever challenge you face, it’s just part of your journey. What swamp are you trying to cross? What is your alligator?

Love,

Kate