Saturday, September 4, 2010

Item # 29: In Defence of Idealism


















Daniel Durrant (@ddrrnt) recently blogged about Super Empowered Hopeful Individuals (SEHIs), a breed he seems to have appreciation for, and believes doesn’t exist. Super Empowered Hopeful Individuals are, (sorry to over-simplify and paraphrase), individuals driven to 'understand' and 'overcome' in the workplace. I’m going to explain the role that I believe Idealism plays in the whole mix.

In this world, we have Idealists and we have Realists.

Most people prefer to associate themselves with being a Realist. It signifies a level-headedness, a grounded-ness, a maturity. Realists, it is believed, have a ‘better handle on things’. Realists are more highly regarded, hence nurtured and encouraged, hence there are many many more of them. The vast majority of people are Realists.

Idealists on the other hand routinely buck what seems obvious, easy or rational. By their very nature they shoot for the moon, time and time again, enduringly motivated by the prospect or potential to make great things happen: to achieve an Ideal.

What exactly is an Ideal?

Ideals have gotten a bad rap. People believe that Ideals are called Ideals because they are essentially unattainable. But really, if something is Ideal, then by definition it means that it has met a wide range of criteria in a near perfect state. It means that something has happened to please enough people or situations, to resolve enough needs or to create enough enjoyment that its achievement is deemed to be near perfect i.e.: Ideal.

So why do Ideals need Idealists?

Because Idealists are Super-Empowered, Hopeful Individuals. To be an Idealist means to be eternally hopeful, to unceasingly believe that Ideals are attainable, that there is forever the prospect or potential to make great things happen. To be an Idealist means to be super-empowered because in a world of realists, it is really tough to inspire people of even the possibility of achieving Ideals and even more difficult to bring those Ideals to life.

Daniel Durrant also suggests that the secret within the super-empowered hopeful individual is an ability to rise above fear and anger to embrace and then live understanding. This is critical. Fear and anger are the foundations of realism. Understanding and then hope are the foundations for Idealism.

I call on the Idealists. And the Ideals. Every project has potential to be a great thing. Every person has the potential for greatness within. A relationship can be the canvas for a great future.

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