It's About Learning

Progress Depends on Unreasonable People

Dwayne Harapnuik — January 25, 2021 — Leave a comment

The reasonable [person] adapts [themself] to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to [themself]. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable [person].

This updated quote is based on Geoge Bernard Shaw’s (1903) Maxims for Revolutionists which was an appendix to his play Man and Superman: A Comedy and a Philosophy. The following is the original quote.

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man (Shaw, 1903).

I am currently working with a new group of graduate students who are building their literature reviews to support their innovation plans and as result, like my students, I have to walk the talk and go back to the primary source whenever possible. It has been many years since I last read through Shaw’s Maxims for Revolutionists so when I reviewed the above quote on Reason also I reviewed the entire work. I have always been was struck by the satirical or contrarian bent of most of Shaw’s writing and his maxims are some of the best examples of his desire for progress or change.

Shaw is the unreasonable man that he writes about and he was striving to adapt the world to himself. While some may not agree with the man or his philosophy there is no denying some of his ideas are impactful and as challenging today as they were over 100 years ago.

This is not the first time I have considered Shaw’s maxim – The Power of Being An Unreasonable Learner

Reference
Shaw, G. B. (2002). Maxims for revolutionists: Reason (1903). Man and Superman: A Comedy and a Philosophy. Indy publishing Co., New York

In Learning Change, progress, unreasonable

Progressive Optimist

Dwayne Harapnuik — August 21, 2014 — Leave a comment

Simon Sinek’s quote:

“The primary ingredient for progress is optimism. The unwavering belief that something can be better drives the human race forward.”

has made me change the way I view being optimistic. My wonderful wife reminds that not everyone appreciates my constant pursuit of the “better way” and that I often come across as a bit of a delusional optimist. As a result I don’t mind joking around and calling myself a delusional optimist because to many people my optimism may appear unrealistic.

But when I accept Sinek’s assertion that optimism is fundamental to progress then perhaps I am not delusional I am simply progressive. Progress does require that we push the boundaries of reality so being unrealistic is actually a necessity.

Fortunately, I am not alone in this type of thinking. George Bernard Shaw wrote:

“a reasonable man adapts himself to the conditions that surround him. The unreasonable man adapts conditions to himself…therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

In Innovation optimism, optimist, progress, reasonable, unreasonable

Want innovation & progress–then embrace uncertainty

Dwayne Harapnuik — May 8, 2014 — Leave a comment

We crave explanations for most everything, but innovation and progress happen when we allow ourselves to embrace uncertainty.

Simon Sinek’s Notes to Inspire May 8, 2014

Sinek’s latest note is particular salient because for the past couple of weeks I have been thinking about the statement, “people don’t move enough” my wife made after we attended an orientation session for an organization that we are considering supporting. She was commenting on the lack of openness toward change that was being expressed explicitly and subtly by a few people in the group we had just met.

The details of the situation aren’t nearly important as the fact that staying in the same community, job, situation etc. for long periods of time can result in a attitude of, “not in my back yard” or “that is not the way we do things around here” or worse “we really don’t want more people coming to our area”. In contrast, moving puts you in a position of uncertainty and exposes you to different cultures and circumstances. Moving also helps you to realize what your priorities should be and to focus on what is really important because you become one of those people who is infringing on someone else’s back yard and you have to learn how to deal with those dynamics.

While a physical move forces you into adapting to different circumstances you don’t have to physically move to adopt an attitude that will help you embrace change and uncertainty. The choice is ours. The choice is also ours to model this type of adaptive attitude and lifestyle to our children.

In Change, Intentional Parent progress

Progress Requires Risk

Dwayne Harapnuik — November 25, 2013 — Leave a comment

“Safe is good for sidewalks and swimming pools but life requires risk if we are to get anywhere.”

I have been pondering this Simon Sinek quote for the past couple of days and I agree whole heartedly with the notion of nothing ventured…nothing gained. I also see that there is a significant paradox that we can also incur significant risk to our lives when we shy away from potentially risky activities or endeavours. What I am trying to say is that it can be very risky to try and play it safe. Let me explain with the following example.

A couple of weeks ago my boys and I took a group of their friends up to Squamish mountain to ride the amazing downhill trails. Some of these trails appear in the popular Down Hill mountain biking film Strength in Numbers by Anthill Films as well as several other films and youtube videos. There is a particular series of stunts and jumps that not for the novice rider. The following video doesn’t do the stunt justice because you are not able to really get a sense of the large span of the gap and the extreme height the boys are at but it does provide a context for the fact that there is zero margin for error if one fails to gauge the right speed.

There is a huge physical risk involved in these stunts but the rewards are equally significant. Being able to master these types of stunts means the boys are riding at a professional not just an expert or advanced level. I made this distinction because there is a difference between simply “making” the stunt and “making it with style”…the style is what distinguishes the professional from the amateur. My older son commented that he can now ride at the professional level, he just needs to build up his speed, style and consistency. He also commented that if he wouldn’t have dedicated the past 5 months of committed riding at the many bike parks and shuttle runs throughout BC he would not be at this level.

This confirms that the huge physical risks that my boys take daily in their riding is getting them much closer to their goal of becoming professional extreme athletes. It also confirms that not taking these risks would mean that they are physically safer but they would then risk missing out on their dreams. Fortunately the risk of knowing “what was” even it that involves risking life and limb is a much stronger motivator than the safety of wondering “what could have been”.

It is my hope and belief that the confidence that will come from overcoming fears and risk will positively transfer to other parts of my boys lives and will help them to master even greater challenges. Progress does require risk and facing and mastering that risk means that my boys will always know what was and not have to risk not know what could of been. I am just glad that I have been able to put my boys into the environment that has contributed to their progress.

In Intentional Parent playing it safe, progress, risk, risk taking, safe, safety

Dare to disagree: Good conflict equates progress

Dwayne Harapnuik — August 20, 2012 — 4 Comments

Most people instinctively avoid conflict, but as Margaret Heffernan shows us, good disagreement is central to progress. She illustrates (sometimes counterintuitively) how the best partners aren’t echo chambers — and how great research teams, relationships and businesses allow people to deeply disagree.

Unfortunately, most organizations will go out their way to avoid conflict and essentially stop thinking and stop progress. Why? Heffernan points out that it takes a significant amount of courage, effort and work:

to seek out people with different backgrounds, different disciplines, different ways of thinking and different experience, and find ways to engage with them.

It is not that organization don’t want to embrace and engage with these divergent and disruptive thinkers it is that they can’t. And as Heffernan points out, organizations limit their thinking and progress:

because the people inside of them are too afraid of conflict.

Fortunately, Heffernan doesn’t leave us hanging without a solution to this problem. The challenge is that the solution is an age old human shortcoming of not facing the hard truth or reality that circumstance demand. Perhaps Heffernan’s closing challenge needs repeating: