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As I reflected on this week’s program, a lyric from the John Lennon song “Beautiful Boy” came to mind. This song contains the quote, “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” I know that my life has taken turns that I did not anticipate as I was busy following my plan. As an example, I planned to join ReCSWUSA for six to nine months while determined which of the Rotary Clubs local to me that I would join. Not in my wildest imaginings did I think that I remain in club past my deadline and now be nearing the end of my term as Club President. Yet, this club is what I needed in order to address some aspects of my life and remain connected to Rotary. The opportunity to serve our club in this role has given me for growth and a greater understanding of Rotary and Service Without Borders. After a short respite from the weekly and monthly duties of this role, I have plans to help our club discover its way to be the inspiration.
Plans have another interesting attribute. From my career in software development, I know that planning can lead to analysis paralysis. I have been a part of companies and organizations that have gotten into the state of over-thinking situations so that action is taken too late or never taken at all. I believe that this is rooted in the intrinsic human desire for the feeling of being valued. Corporate culture tends to impose transactional relationships on employees and partners. This tends to put increased risk on being wrong. As a result, many prefer to only share their ideas when they are fully confident in them.
In a recent LinkedIn blog post, Shane Snow wrote, “Sometimes bad ideas can be useful, if anything, because a bad idea can be very good at pointing us in a new direction.” Over my eleven years as a Rotarian, I have seen successes that came out exploring a bad idea. As an International English-speaking eClub, we have the opportunity to inspire other Rotarians to try an idea in their local community that could make a difference in lives. Life stories do not have Hollywood Endings, so why should all the stories of our project attempts. What did not work for one club may work for another with some adjustment. It is time to stop over-thinking Rotary project and take the risk of experimenting with new ways to work in service to others.