Time Breaks Everything – The Case for Intentional Reinvention

Time Breaks Everything… The Case for Intentional Reinvention. (Pt 1)

Why did they computerize my stove?

Seriously, was that “Lite-Hi-Med-Lo-Off” thing not working?

I’ve said it hundreds of times, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

Right?

Well, hold on… as much as I’ve said that, it turns out there is a fatal – yes FATAL – flaw in that mindset:

Time breaks everything.

We assume that if we keep doing what is successful it will keep being successful.

That is no longer true, if it ever was. (It wasn’t, it just used to take longer).

Everything around us is changing, including the pace of change itself, which is increasing exponentially.

That includes the environment surrounding you and everything you’re doing.

Therefore, when you perform the same service or make the same product in the same way, just by staying the same you’re falling behind; the world is passing you by rendering your offering broken or obsolete, even though you’re doing what’s working.

Unfortunately, most companies and individuals don’t realize this until it’s too late.

Trains lost to trucks. Network news and local newspapers are losing to cable and internet. TV is losing to cable and internet. Blockbuster lost to Netflix. LPs and cassettes lost to CD’s lost to MP3, as record stores lost to iTunes. Film lost to digital. Cabs are losing to ride-share. Internal combustion will lose to Tesla (a regular automobile has approximately 1000 moving parts; a Tesla has eight. You think that won’t catch on?).

In some of those cases the ones who lost are not gone, but they’ve suffered massive, irreparable loss of marketshare.

Here’s my most important point…

All these organizations that lost were doing exactly what made them successful right up until the bottom fell out.

They figured, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Do you imagine a point where the pace of change will stop?

No, from here it will go exponential.

So, what’s the solution?

Intentionally Reinvent.

This is EXACTLY why I deliver my “What IF Keynote Experience…” to teach organizations how to intentionally and consistently reinvent and get entire organizations, not just leaders, on board with it.

You’ve got to develop a mindset and culture which strategically reconsiders everything, examines the outside landscape, welcomes experimentation and failure, and empowers positive change.

So, while things are successful, instead of saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” think,

“NOW is the time to strategically reinvent, rather than later in a panic.”

If you don’t intentionally reinvent someone else will do it for you, and for you… the end is near.

Time breaks everything. So always be fixing.

Next week we’ll take this principle and get personal… careers and relationships need to reinvent as well.

And please share this. I love sharing good ideas with people and would love to reach more of them.

Live Truly, Truly Live,

Rayburn

PS Just in case you missed it last week, I am now represented by CMI Speakers, Karen Harris – 1(403) 398-8488 or email rayburnbookings@cmispeakers.com