We Should Ask

We should ask why Christopher Columbus did not feel a compulsion to stay constantly in touch with all of his friends while he undertook one of the most dangerous and important voyages in history.

We should ask why our Founding Fathers were able to write one of the most important documents of all time, even though they were not able to immediately share every development detail with everyone, simultaneously.

We should ask why Abraham Lincoln was capable of leading this country through what was arguably one of the greatest challenges ever, without a compulsion of inadvertently adding in the distraction of making sure he shared all of the insignificant details 24/7.

We should ask why Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson and other great American Authors were able to create some of the finest literary works ever written without the entire world knowing what they wore while they were on vacation.

We should ask why Babe Ruth, Jessie Owens, Babe Didrikson Zaharias and hundreds of other exceptional athletes were able to accomplish incredible feats while competing with other remarkable athletes, without devoting much time at all worrying about how to post their feelings.

We should ask why Martin Luther King was able to have and share a dream, that changed the course of history even though he could not, or chose not to, wallow in details of monumental insignificance in the world around him.

We should ask why it is okay to destroy the rules of grammar and create an entirely new vocabulary that is tougher that Egyptian Hieroglyphics, but makes a lot less sense.

We should ask why so many people, of all ages, are compelled to remove the human element and replace it with a device that cannot love, feel, hurt, share or produce meaningful relationship. Why does a couple sit across from each other at a restaurant and stare at a small screen while they frantically type, oblivious to each other and the world around them.

We should ask why so many school age students can send thousands of digital messages through the course of a month yet they cannot read well enough, add well enough, explain the Constitution or the basic structure of their government well enough, identify an invertebrate from a vertebrate or conjugate a verb.

We should ask why people drive along at highway speeds and cannot leave the device dormant long enough to respond to "dings" and not risk their safety and the safety of others around them.

We should ask why we have no problem responding immediately to a "text" but are too busy to visit personally or return a phone call. We should ask why we allow this insensitive form of communication to take the place of a voice.

We should ask why and if we do, when we arrive at an answer it should include, less of the digital activities and much more of the activities that will help us to help others and ourselves.

We really should ask why.

Insight

One of my more interesting professional endeavors, that included a great many "locational benefits", was when I served as publisher of The Washington DC Business Journal. Our office was in Northern Virginia. My responsibilities took me into the District frequently and because I was in the District, I would often spend my lunchtime in The Smithsonian or at any of the fabulous monuments and historical places to visit. Since I was there, of course I had to take advantage of the opportunities. It was in DC where I met Trammel Crow.

The DC Business Journal complied a list each year of the top 100 Private Companies in the greater DC area.  This list was one of many we did but the Top 100 Private Companies list was always one of the most coveted lists of the year. Companies were clamoring to be included and those companies that were included on last year's list, wanted to move up in the rankings. We held a fabulous banquet and awards ceremony each year at one of the posh hotels in the area to honor the Top 100 Companies. The event featured a high-profile keynote speaker and always sold out!

The first year I was in DC we had Trammel Crow as our keynote. Mr. Crow was a pure entrepreneur. He was one of eight children that lived in a rented one bedroom home in East Dallas. He went on to become one of the largest real estate developers in the country. Warehouses were his specialty but he also developed high-rise office buildings and world class hotels. The Lowe's Anatole Hotel in Dallas is his development.

We brought Mr. Crow in for the banquet, put him up in a world class hotel and reserved a limousine to get him to and from the banquet. I was responsible for serving as the host representing The DC Business Journal. On the evening of the banquet I met Mr. Crow in the lobby of his hotel ready to escort him to the festivities. We walked outside to the limousine, the chauffeur opened the door and much to our surprise, Mr. Crow said;"Why don't you and I walk." We walked on the sidewalk with the limousine trailing slowly behind us. The experience was unique and unforgettable.

While walking I suddenly realized that I had Trammel Crow all to myself. We had a delightful conversation during which I asked; "What was the single thing about entrepreneurism and success that I could hang my hat on?" He did not hesitate. Even before his next step hit the ground he replied; "It is harder than I thought it was going to be and it is bigger than I ever imagined."

What a great lesson. Here was a "rags-to-BIG-riches" highly successful person giving me his secret formula for success.

It does not matter if you reach the level of success that Trammel Crow did. What matters is that you stay the course and have faith in your ideas and reach for your dreams. All things are relative and your level of success is one day going to be bigger than you imagined as long as you do the hard part and stay the course. Take a step and then take another step.