Hey Guys- Webster defines sustainable as referring to a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged. When I looked it up, I expected the definition to include something like the ability to keep something going. But Webster says it much better with a focus on the depletion or damaging of the resource itself. The lesson: if you are doing something that is using you or your resources in a way that is depleting you or damaging you, you cant keep it going. The reason? You are not just getting tired; you or your resource is getting depleted. You or your resource is being cannibalized. In short: you will run out. That adds so much to the discussion. What does this look like in real life? It is what we see when people do not do the necessary endings that their hearts, minds, souls, bodies, and bank balances are telling them over and over that they need to do. As a result, something gets depleted: - A CEO or boss drives his people toward a strategy that stretches them past their abilities to keep going, so they get depleted and lose heart - A business owner pushes herself day and night to get her startup going and begins to get sick more and more - A CEO or manager allows a toxic employee to make the culture negative for others, to the point where the entire staff becomes demotivated as time goes on - A spouse tries over and over to be accepting and forgiving of an angry or disrespectful mate, and begins to lose heart for the person, the relationship, and for love itself - A business initiative has a great start, but costs are greater than planned, and the cash burn grows faster and hotter - A business keeps hoping for a profit, and takes on more and more debt, always thinking that the turnaround is coming, even as debt grows - In between jobs or with reduced income, an individual or a family continues to live at the same standard of living they had when income was flush - A person finds himself totally miscast, in a job, career, or position that has nothing to do with his talents, strengths, or passions Think of the results of all of those scenarios, and you will see how profound sustainability really is. In each one, as time foes on, something or someone is getting depleted or damaged. For that reason, sustainability is one of the most important reasons for a necessary ending. If you are doing anything that by definition cannot continue because the source itself is being depleted or damaged, an ending is not only necessary, it is vital and urgent. In my experience with businesses and individuals, not paying attention to sustainability is one of the most common reasons that they get into trouble, sometimes unrecoverable trouble. Why? Because the assets, be they financial or human, get totally spent. At that point, the people or businesses are out of options, and no good choices remain. Sustainability keeps options alive, and as long as you have options, you have hope. But without the ability to keep going because you or your other assets are gone, you have very limited choices and are forced to accept options that you would not have chosen. Therefore, there are few better contexts to execute ending than in situations that are unsustainable. Cheers, Henry *Pages 221-223 from my book Necessary Endings
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 18:57:53 +0000