Futility
Sometimes I learn answers from Dilbert, other times Dilbert makes me think about apparently unanswerable questions. In a recent Dilbert cartoon, the boss asks him to seek a 20% discount on a purchase already subject to a binding contract. Dilbert notes that "futility tugs at my soul". We've all faced similar requests, where we wonder whether the request is designed to hurt us, to make us feel futile. And we've all been in situations, sometimes of our own making, where it appears that the odds against our success are insurmountable, where we might conclude it's futile to continue to try. What should we do?
First, I refuse to accept the idea that any effort is futile. I've seen too many examples of breakthroughs in life, of success after long periods of failure, even of the learning that sometimes comes from defeat, to accept futility. If we continue to try, something good will happen. It may not be the thing we were working for or hoping for, but something good will happen. If we continue to try, we will strengthen ourselves, we will learn something useful. If we continue to try, we will, at the very least, serve as an example for others who might be tempted to concede defeat, to give up prematurely.
Second, we can change our approach. It doesn't do anyone any good to beat our heads against brick walls. There are always alternative routes to our goals. If our current approach seems difficult, look for any easier way. If we genuinely believe that our way is blocked, we can try to remove the impediments or we can go around them. Difficulty is not an excuse to give up. I've mentioned before how much of my thinking was formed by Williams of West Point, a childhood book. I learned from that book that we only fail when we give up.
Finally, we can, as a last resort, change the goal. We can refuse to honor silly requests, we can rethink our approaches, we can modify our goals. We shouldn't give up but we can change. There's no disgrace in admitting that a goal is beyond us if it really is.
Keep trying, keep trying efficiently, but don't feel badly about changing goals if a goal is truly beyond reach.
2-16-04
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