Promise and Tension

[BLAND -III]

I’m convinced that Ford could have done it.
I believe GM could have done it, too.
Toyota? No doubt.

But Tesla did it instead. Elon Musk told the world, “We will build the fastest, safest, most efficient vehicle ever.” Not just the fastest. There’s always been a race for more HP and speed. Not just the safest. Volvo's been after that award. And not just the most efficient. A lot of folks are figuring out the battery riddle.

But Musk said, “Not one, but all three. Same car.”

Was it the capital? The technology? The vision? Nope. It was the audacity. The courage. The willingness to put followers/clients/customers under tension while they wait for what’s truly better.

We all have this ability.
But are we willing to put our supporters under tension?
Are we willing to risk making promises . . . and then show up?

Or will bland, predictable, incremental improvements that comfort and protect as many people as possible do the trick?

It’s time for you to take a risk.
Make a promise.
Create tension.
And then show up.

[H/T to Seth Godin for this line of thinking.]