Unencumbered
The same six months. One, client with few resources excels beyond expectations while another, with a bigger budget, evolves more slowly and modestly. Earlier in my career, I took bolder steps, pursuing projects more impulsively and opportunistically. We didn't perceive there being much to lose. As our reputation and income grew, greater caution intervened. The fear of losing something that I have, versus of not getting something that I want, is a more powerful motivator according to behavioral economists. Change is more often viewed as a threat than as a possibility for greater good. This dynamic can make social impact work challenging. That said, change is the constant, not stasis, and yet the capacity for embracing and navigating it is considered the exception among many of Foresight's nonprofit and foundation clients. My mother is regularly frustrated by new computer software updates. "Why can't they just leave it be?" Maintaining a status quo can require effort too, and sometimes stealthily accumulating risk. The first client was in a state of discomfort, if not suffering, when Foresight started working with them. While we coached them and helped them make space, they seized the opportunity, undertook the work, and quickly realized results. The other has been more cautious and incremental. Feeling safe can be relative and conditional. I'm glad I learned to ski as a fearless kid. I wrestle with taking bold steps knowing, more than ever, of the effort required and the potential pitfalls. Despite my seeing their possibilities, clients will only evolve as far as they're ready. I get it as much as it flummoxes me, still remembering and in love with the thrill of carelessly barreling down the hill.
