Tom Watson, the chairman of IBM, use to read the following story to his employees each year. Read it in full. I promise you’ll feel refreshed, energized, and ready to kick today’s ass.
The Wild Goose
There was once a wild goose and in the fall, around the time for migration, it became aware of a group of tame geese on a farm and stopped by to learn what they were all about.
After landing, the wild goose became enamoured with the lifestyle of the tame geese and thought it’d be a shame to fly away from them. Free food, a calm lake to swim in, easy living. Sure, it wasn’t exciting but it was nice for a little while.
Soon, the wild goose tried to entice the tame geese to fly a little higher and, if possible, accompany it on the migration so it could save them from a mediocre life of waddling around as respectable, tame geese.
At first, the tame geese thought it very entertaining and they admired the wild goose.
But eventually they became tired of it, laughed at it and labeled it as a misfit, troublemaker, and visionary fool devoid of experience and wisdom.
Giving In
After a while, the wild goose became so involved with the tame geese that they had gradually gained power over it, their opinion meant something to it – and the wild goose began acting like a tame goose.
In a certain sense there was something admirable about what the wild goose wanted – a stable, mediocre life that didn’t cause too much trouble.
By the end of fall, after a few months with the tame geese, the wild goose realized what had happened: it was no longer wild but now an unoriginal, tame goose.
Stay Wild
In a sense, we’re all born as wild geese. Full of energy, rebellious, and unique.
But as we grow older we compromise our beliefs and goals and settle with the tame ones.
Unfortunately, a tame goose never becomes wild, but a wild goose can certainly become tame.
While it’s impossible to isolate ourselves from the tame, there’s one thing to watch out for – that you hold on to your wild self.
As soon as you notice that the tame geese have any kind of power over you, then it’s time to migrate.
Celebrating The Wild Goose Inside You
Hustle Con is our way of celebrating the wild geese.
Hustle Con isn’t a conference. I hate that word. Conferences are boring. Let’s call it a festival from now on.
We’re are a community of do-ers, rebels, and hustlers celebrating for one day with 350 other wild geese.
If you haven’t registered yet and are free then we’d love for you to come.
And if you can’t make it then I hope you’ll keep this story in mind today as you fight off the folks who tell you to calm down, sit back, take it easy, or be quiet.
Don’t let them tame you… stay wild.
-Sam “Goose” Parr