A Hard Thing to Do

I'll admit it. I don't always like to say this sentence... "I was wrong." And I'm not alone. Fonzie could never say it. Politicians RARELY say it. But I got the idea to talk about this topic after I read Eric Zorn's column Change of Subject in last week's Sunday Trib. He was talking about how when he originally heard about the woman who's stroller got caught in the closing doors of a CTA train, he doubted that she was telling the truth about the way things happened. He basically accused the woman of lying, and it wasn't until later that he decided that perhaps he did not have a full understanding of what happened and how, so he had "doubts about his doubts."

I believe that it is human nature to react strongly to stories that we hear and often make snap judgements about them. However, later, when more information comes to light, some of us will actually change our opinions and thoughts about what we thought we knew. I know that I am treading on dangerous philosophical ground here, but my point is this, and it is also Zorn's point. It is a shame to have been wrong. But it's a disgrace to stay wrong just because admitting you were wrong is so hard.

Many people express themselves in absolutes... "I will NEVER get into digital printing." is one that I have heard more than once this year. So I am giving you a hall pass here. Even something that you believed whole-heartedly even 6 short months ago can look very different today. Maybe you've done more research, talked to more customers, or been to an event that is helping to change your mind.

Here is what I am here to help you discover. It is OK to change your mind. No one will fault you if you decide to do something that you have said for years you would never do. Keep in mind that flexibility is a virtue, and as my friend and product specialist Jeannie McTurner always says, "If you keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting what you're getting."

Look for a whole blog post on this phrase, because not only is it true, it's brilliant, and very liberating. I have been wrong about a lot of things in my life. But not this!