Genius+Power+Magic

I feel resigned

Today is one of those days that are rare to me.  I feel resigned.

I have been working desperately and passionately to build The Chicago Convergence for over a year and I am the one guy that keeps saying to the masses in some form or another:

"If you keep trying to cover your own ass, all you will get is more of what you already got"

With the economy as it is, survival (cover your own ass) has kicked into high gear and people are more afraid than ever.  To attempt causation of a 'we era' in the midst of the 'fuck off era' is a bit daunting at times.

But, as I chose my lot, I will continue to pull myself up, dust myself off and get back to work.

There is untold abundance in community and 'WE' can do anything.

John Patterson
Convergence Founder

 

The genius in all people

In 1987 it became obvious to me that my life would become about people knowing themselves as a contribution; that they matter and that I matter - and that each unique contribution is actually necessary to this recipe called 'humanity'.

It happened during a seminar where I revealed that I was gay - and my fear was that "...the girl sitting next to me will be pissed, because I think she has a crush on me...and the guy sitting next to me is gonna want to move...and I just became a pervert for some and damned to hell for others", crying I continued "I know there are people in here that would now never let me near their children...and I see a guy in here that I think may just kill me in the parking lot on the way out tonight". 

Another womans arm shot up, she stood and faced me; "I just have to thank you.  You just set me free", she exclaimed, "I have the same fears, except it is about being overweight".  I had not noticed. 

A room full of hands went up - and several others broadcast similar fears...everyone seemed to have a reason why they could not be honest, real or themselves.

I was shocked to discover that my fear was not personal to me, it was not about being gay, but about being a human being.  The pretense was something everyone lived with, and in that moment we all became one.  Human.

I was flabbergasted...I immediately saw the enormity of this revelation.  Lift the veil of pretense and what we have is an immediate understanding and the opportunity to work together towards something where we all win and everyone is a contribution.

This is the birth of my leadership in the collaborative movement, the era of 'we'.  It is why, immediately following this revelation, I began my work in Austin Texas to create the city as an arts center where people could express themselves though art and music.  It has been at the heart of why I created the Chicago Convergence; to express 'the genius in all people'.

I just re-watched MILK, the academy award winning movie starring Sean Penn.  The movie is about Harvey Milk, the self proclaimed "Mayor of Castro Street" and leader of the gay rights movement.  He was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. On November 27, 1978, Milk and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated by Dan White, another city supervisor.

I rarely talk about being gay, not for any shame or fear, but because first and foremost I am a human being and I have said that my being gay is not relevant.  Watching MILK had me re-consider; what if my being gay is as important to this collaboration as any unique expression of humanity. 

What if it can continue to set others free to contribute there genius?

I can only hope.

John Patterson
Convergence Founder

Image courtesy Focus Features

On the road to mediocrity

I could not have said it better.

by Seth Godin

On the road to mediocrity

Along the way, we settle.

We settle for something not quite right, or an outfit that isn't our best look, or a job that doesn't quite maximize our talents. We settle for relationships that don't give us joy, or a website that's, "good enough."

The only way to get mediocre is one step at a time.

You don't have to settle. It's a choice you get to make every day.

On the road to mediocrity

Along the way, we settle.

We settle for something not quite right, or an outfit that isn't our best look, or a job that doesn't quite maximize our talents. We settle for relationships that don't give us joy, or a website that's, "good enough."

The only way to get mediocre is one step at a time.

You don't have to settle. It's a choice you get to make every day.

You get what you inspect, not what you expect

All too often I see people being caught off guard by something they were expecting to happen turning out some other way.

You have no right to be thwarted if you did not inspect it to begin with. 

If you want to elevate your performance and the performance of those around you, inspect.  Ask questions. Make sure you announce your expectations.  Find out the expectations of others.

Collaboration is about finding out what others want/need then finding ways to fulfill your want/needs by helping them fulfill theirs.  Inspection about these want/needs will bring superior clarity them and assist both of you in moving swiftly.

John Patterson
Convergence Founder

Piles of crap

You take a plate and another rises up to take its place...at some point, there are no more plates. 

Integrity is like that.  You clean up a mess and the source of the mess rises up to reveal itself and so on and so on until the heart of the entire mess is actually revealed.

For those interested in performance, don't settle for the satisfaction fueled by the first plate.  It will provide relief, but not the kind of unbridled launch that digging through the piles of crap will.

Somewhere under all of it is an amazing gem. 

Actions are always and only correlated to the way the world occurs for you.  When something occurs as unworkable, most take no action.  We are resigned to our inability to alter a situation and default to simply live with it the way it is. 

My invitation is to deal with the discomfort of getting the truth told until a transformation happens.

John Patterson
Convergence Founder