NOW is the time Alberta!

As I sit here today, I feel as though the world is screaming for our attention. It’s urging us to stop worrying about what others think, and finally take action to move forward. What’s going to happen?? We make a mistake? We fall down? So what!? Just get back up again!

I refuse to sit back and cross my fingers and “hope” that our economy and the world around us will get better. I’m not going to curl up and hope that everyone else will make a better community for me. I am moving forward, taking action, making a difference!

Trust me, it breaks my heart to see talented, skilled people in our city and province lose their jobs. Do I believe that media and communications are important? Do I believe we have huge opportunity in the energy sector? Transportation? ABSOLUTELY! However, I do believe that NOW is the time to think differently and create a new perspective.

The ways of our past WILL NOT move us forward. Lives, economies, and much of our world is cyclical; however, each cycle is unique enough to ensure that any predictability is suspect and unreliable. Continuing this cycle of “boom” and “bust” will only result in continued hardship and pain…until we choose to BREAK the cycle.

I am by no means suggesting that we drastically change the way we live and do business. However, we need to find a new perspective:

1. Encourage new and BRAVE thinking

2. Support and applaud the ‘game changers’ and ‘dream chasers’ in our world for taking risks

3. Thinking differently and not follow the crowd

This is not new and radical thinking, there are many who have taken the LEAP and been catalysts for positive change.

• Henry Ford – failed 5 times before the innovation of the assembly line

• Walt Disney – fired for “lack of imagination and no good ideas”

• Albert Einstein – expelled from school

• Thomas Edison – teachers told him that he was “too stupid to learn anything”

• Oprah Winfrey– fired because she was “unfit for TV”

• Steven Spielberg – rejected from film school 3 times

• Babe Ruth – held the strike out record for decades

• Steve Jobs – fired from his own company

• Soichiro Honda – rejected by Toyota Motor Corp. for a job

• Theodor Seuss Giesel – 27 publishers rejected Dr. Seuss’ first book

• Elvis Presley – In 1954 the Grand Ole Opry said, “you ain’t going nowhere”

Sadly, it can take immense pain and frustration to want to make a change. Then we need to hear and try new innovative approaches/ideas several times, then we need to see others doing it or trying it before we feel we can make the change. How many times will we ride the wave before we choose to embrace a culture of change?

I believe that we have the right people, the right community, and the right innovation accelerators to put our province at the forefront of the world! It’s time for the rubber to meet the road, it’s time to take action!

NOW is the time to take the leap (even if it’s a small leap) toward the Alberta that we are capable of creating! NOW is the time to shine!!

Will you take the leap with me??