Every tush needs a push

“If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together”

The above quote is quite a popular one. It’s pretty simple and self-explanatory.

I see this quote to be a battle between two approaches or principles Efficiency Thinking vrs Relational Thinking

The first part “go fast go alone” being Efficiency Thinking whereas “go far go together”- Relational Thinking.
Both sides of the quotes are true.
If you want to get things done in a fast and quick manner then going solo is the route to take but one can only go so far.

On the flip side, going corporately may not take you as fast as you want to your destination but in mingling with the right people there is a higher probability that you would reach your goal and even beyond due to the backing and support of the group.

I have a special preference for the latter part of the quote.
Surrounding yourself with the smartest, most high-integrity people with whom one can build deep, long-term, win-win relationships transcending professional boundaries has so many advantages it would be a real shame to miss out on.

Our culture however, under-emphasizes the importance, satisfaction and joy of helping someone else realize their dream.
It rather embraces the concept of going SOLO and doing everything for one’s self. It’s probably why we have so many small scale businesses with very few large corporation in most “third world countries”.
This may be due to several factors like the lack of trust amongst ourselves, little regard for morals, low integrity, corruption and so on.
But let’s not forget that in riding solo we miss out on the advantages of the corporate pull.  The secret business knowledge, the links and networks, public vouching, a deepened relationship, positive economies of scale.

We dream to reach for the stars but we fail to realize that achieving those aspirations could or should be a communal activity.
No great work was ever done by just one person. Many people are needed to fulfill a vision and in fulfilling the corporate vision, individual and personal visions are achieved.

No one man is an island

The implications of this idea are pretty astounding. If God gave us deep longings and called us to help others achieve their dreams, then maybe the opposite is true, as well. Others are called to help us achieve our dreams.
It is therefore no coincidence that Adam was not created in isolation. God saw that he needed a helper hence Eve was created to HELP.

The one problem with efficiency thinking is that the same heads-down focus that leads to success could also lead to our downfall without anybody to pull the chains when you are falling off the rails.

For more clarity let’s look at this analogy, it has to do with reptiles.

Ugh…! Reptiles, I’ve never liked them. Even as a kid growing up, I used to chase any lizard that crossed my path, pelt a few stones at them. I just can’t stand the sight of them.
And oh, don’t get me started on the creatures that symbolise the House of Slytherin.
For the crocs me likey cos I think they’re cool but snakes, iguanas? Yuck!.

Now where were we before my lapsing into that bout of vitriolic fit?

Oh yea… Alright got it, so you know how to get a new skin most reptiles like snakes have to shed their skin to make way for a new skin?
Same way when we give our efforts in helping others achieve and realize their dreams we also gain from the experience, a deepened relationship and having someone to count when it’s your turn to pursue your goal.
A seed sowed into the future.

At times people might forget the good you did in helping them get to where they are but that should not deter us. We can just like Joseph in the bible chalk it off as pro bono and know that in due course God will remember our works and elevate us to glory just as Joseph was when the cup bearer later remembered how Joseph had once helped him when they were prison mates.

You can make it to the top alone but remember it’s much easier when we do it together.
And like Mark Cuban (billionaire tech mogul and owner of Dallas mavericks) likes to say “every tush needs a push”, I’d also like to add to it that “be mindful of the TUSH you PUSH”. 😆