They say – when there’s a will, there’s a way. Do you agree? I think, that even if there is no way at the beginning, but the will is present – you can make the way.

The author of the illustration is Afonso. He is thirteen. We were on a driving and hiking tour one day and it was well into the second half of the day when we approached yet another one of the lagoons to see. After taking five steps towards the road, leading to the lagoon, Afonso stopped and stated, that there is no point to go any further. “Because the lagoon is closed”.

Afonso was a tired teenager. But there and then I remembered tons of tantrums that grown-ups end up having: consciously OR unconsciously. I think the unconscious ones are the ones that keep us from progress. Fear of change, laziness, lack of self-confidence (or, sometimes, over-confidence), lack of trust in other specialists, fear of failure or uncertainty – those are the reasons that stop us all from becoming better, working better, getting better results, to name but a few. Have you heard anything like this?

• There are no other products (suppliers) like this on the market. Did you do anything to check it? And meant it?
• We have always done it this way. That one is my favourite. Catherine DeVrye says those are the most expensive seven words in business.
• Something might go wrong. It won’t work. What if you do nothing? How do you know, that situation, in which you are now, is “right”? And, sometimes, it will go wrong. Sometimes it go wrong many times. Until one day: SURPRISE! – it goes very good!
• There is not enough time. What about trying to plan?
• I know best. Yes, of course! Me too! See the guy on the couch? Him too! Also, the lady that just passed by – I bet she knows it best, too! What if we would just make sure, that my “best” matches your “best”? What if we would be open and willing to hear?
• There is not enough money. Or is it ideas, inventiveness, discipline, will, that is actually missing?
• We do not have resources / skills. Is it not something you can get – if you really need it?
• Lagoon is closed. The sign says so – and the sign cannot be wrong, can it?

These and many similar are the things, stopping us from finding another opportunity (to save costs, improve processes, create additional service and/or value to customers). Changing our mindset will open new roads. To see the lagoon, as well.

Another category is the concious ones. To put in simple words – when we lie. With good intentions, with bad intentions. More or less creatively. Many years ago, while still at school, when all the homework was still done with paper and pen, I remember  not bringing mine to the teacher, because “my cat spilled milk accidentally over the notebook”. Unfortunately, the teacher knew my family well enough to know, that we do not have any cats. And then it was too late to change my main character of the story to “my little sister”… Those excuses, however, is a different story. Do you have any of them?