The Worst Way You Could Fall in Love

I’m sure it’s happened to you before. You’ve gotten hurt or you’ve been betrayed. Isolation follows the hurt and you want to give up. There is a period of time with lots of confusion, nothing really adds up. You have thoughts of running away, finding a new place to exist so you don’t have to live with daily reminders of how it failed. Any of this familiar to you?

This is what happens when you and I as leaders fall in love with an idea.

The idea may be a new relationship that is going to make problems go away.

The idea may be a new way to generate revenue.

The idea may be a new way to structure everything for more productivity.

The idea may be a shiny new goal.

All good things. Not one of these is something we should see as bad or risky. The wheels come off when we fall in love with an idea and the world around any of these begins to change. We can’t let go. We’re in love with an idea that no longer serves people and eventually it fails us all and breaks our hearts.

How do you know if an idea is still worth holding onto? Keep this in mind:

Love = Labor

If the idea does a work to serve those you lead than it’s worth holding onto. BUT, if the idea no longer does work for those you lead than it’s time to let go. This could be true of a relationship, or something that once generated revenue, or a former structure, and yes even in regards to some goals.  To love means it serves someone else.

The worst way for you to fall in love is with an idea that no longer serves the people you lead.