Imperfect: A-Z Blogging Challenge

     I cried Sunday morning, which isn't really unusual on Easter but it was before church so that wasn't the reason.  I really enjoy Charles Osgood in any media form.   His manner, the tone of his voice, his appreciate for beauty and noticing or drawing attention to the small things that make a difference in this life.   CBS Sunday morning ran a story about Michigan native and former MLB pitcher Jim Abbott who has a new book out called:  Imperfect: An Improbable Life.
     For those who don't know Jim was born without a right hand, but that didn't stop him from becoming a college baseball player for the University of Michigan, winning a gold medal as the starting pitcher in the Olympics, or pitching a no-hitter for the New York Yankees as a professional baseball player.   He continues to be a force for good well beyond the example he set in those accomplishments.
    You see, I'm of the firm belief that we're all imperfect. Not to slight in any way those who have something visible externally. Even the best athlete, smartest scientist, most charismatic politician and wealthiest human being on the planet have flaws and faults.  Most just hide or ignore them and they only come to light during some public failure.  We see that often enough.
    With apologies to theologians (Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom) the adage of "self-knowledge is the beginning of wisdom" is a powerful tool in managing who and what we are, and can become.

Even this morning in my Organizational Behavior class we discussed how important it is to understand yourself. How great leaders, knowing their weaknesses, bring people around them who have strengths in competencies where they don't.  None of us is whole and perfect on our own.  We are very simply created to work together in communities (tribes, groups, clusters, teams) and by doing so accomplish more than any one individual can alone.  
     As Jim said in the interview Sunday morning: "Find something you love in this world, and don't let anyone ever change your opinion that you can do it."  Amen to that.  And if you share that vision with others, it won't be long before you'll have others believing and helping you pursue it as well.
     Peter Drucker once said "You can't manage change.  You can only be ahead of it".
As Daniel Pink discusses briefly in his Flip-Manifesto, quit looking for your passion and DO SOMETHING!
And don't let anyone who thinks that what worked yesterday will be successful tomorrow get in your way.
What's your vision?