Small Tent, Big Dreams

My Pen Mates,

Rather than an endorsement of humble beginnings and achieving great heights, the purpose of this blog entry is to indict just the opposite. While I am all for go-getters and trailblazers, admiring their perseverance, bravery and energy, there is a sub-group to this breed who just dream big but have no vision to execute. These are what I call small tent mavericks; they are notable for preaching to the choir and recruiting the converted. They beat their chests in arrogance, huff and puff and preen flaunting their status. They manage to expose their incompetence in the process by their inability to grasp the reality and grandeur of a bigger, nobler objective.

They either are unaware of the right tool or use the right one the wrong way. They hack with a scalpel and slice with a hatchet. There is nothing more disturbing than the misuse of resources by seemingly intelligent people because of self endowed myopia. Sometimes the fault is trying to do everything right by everybody. So they play it safe by reducing the challenge, choosing the safe haven over the challenges of the three ring circus. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, unless you have previously declared yourself as the spearhead of a greater cause.

Maybe time tempers passion. Perhaps wisdom dictates closer attention. Or maybe bigger decisions require more time. But if things have slowed that you project the perception that you've left the ship sailing without clear direction, then maybe it's time to leave the helm to those who have the proper vision to steer__the big-tent ringleader/s.

Mon