"Lessons from Nuke"

"The world is made for people who aren't cursed with self-awareness." - Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon) Bull Durham

Have you ever observed anyone that seems to be clueless to the perceptions of the people around them? They push their idea or entertain in front of a crowd and seem to completely miss the rolling of eyes all around them... Yet, five years later, they seem to have "made it" or have progressed to be an amazing talent despite their critics.

What can we learn from Nuke (Tim Robbins, left from Bull Durham) or others we know like him?

• Critics are wrong... often...
• We talk ourselves out of great ideas
• If that doesn't work, people close to us will talk us out of those ideas
• Persistence and hard work can take mediocrity to greatness
• What other people think is really not as important as we make it
• Be willing to look foolish and make mistakes while we're learning
• Practice driving ideas... take them 3 steps farther or push 3 months longer than normal
• Don't over analyze our choices, offer our opinion when asked
• Offer our ideas freely even if they get shot down... they may lead to the next, better idea
• If you love doing something... do it and work hard at it
• Leaders regularly will be criticized for wrong choices, great leaders adjust and keep falling forward

I don't want fear to limit my future, my purpose, or my leadership.