If you can fill the unforgiving minute
Rudyard Kipling – If
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man*, my son**!
Here’s the game: in 60 seconds you will board an aircraft, step onto a ship, or otherwise disappear. The unforgiving minute is yours to fill with whatever wisdom you’d impart to your listener on your given subject.****
Right now we’re playing the game live, and today’s topic is Making Change Happen. My time starts… now.
- Action is everything – no action, no change.
- Be uncertain of both your ends and your means – they will change as you learn and grow.
- Ideas are nothing without execution – innovation consists of an idea, and making it happen in the world.
- The Wrapper.
- Infrastructure matters.
It turns out that you can’t get very far in a minute.
Next time: fleshing out the list.
*Man – read: fully-realised and worthwhile person in possession of the atibutes that will enable you to lead and make a a contribution in the world.
**son – read: child, soon to be a man, as defined above.***
***You knew this, but I thought it might be helpful to say, clunky as it is. I wasn’t going to re-write Kipling, was I?
****The game can be played live, with answers improvised verbally or in writing with no after-the-event edits allowed, or scripted, with an answer that takes no more than 60 seconds to read or listen to.