Last year at Chicago Ideas Week, I hosted a panel titled “Is
this economy killing creativity or inspiring it?” Five panelists discussed the challenges of
staying fiercely creative in a less-than-encouraging economic climate. They all agreed on one thing:
When life gives you lemons, creative people make limoncello.
It’s important to know that these weren’t all
super-creative, off-the-charts right brainers.
Along with the owner of an amazing home and garden store (Sprout Home),
a clothes designer, and an online entrpreneur, we also had the President of a superhot
Chicago ad agency (commonground) and a senior marketing manager for a large
packaged goods brand.
I was inspired by their optimism and conviction to take on
the challenge of overcoming obstacles, regardless of the climate.
It reminded me of one of my favorite Michael Jordan quotes:
“If you run into a wall,
don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or
work around it.”
I flashed back to that panel
when I read an article in yesterday’s Sunday Chicago Tribune about young adults
who have graduated college and instead of facing the promise of a great future
as in previous generations, are facing enormous obstacles.
It spoke of “…a historic
recalibration among expectations of every generation of Americans” and continued, “As Europeans are being gripped by
dream-crushing austerity, hopes are also being downsized here in ways not seen
since the Great Depression…”
Wow.
Wowzer wow wow. A historic recalibration? Dream-crushing austerity?
How would that make you feel if you were sending a child
to college in the Fall? Knowing you’re
about to spend thousands and in some cases hundreds of thousands of dollars to
prepare her for…shredded dreams and crushing austerity?
Well, that would be me, and since I’ve written a post about
why I believe college is still worth every penny, I can think of no better person
than Apollo 13’s Mission Control Director Gene Kranz to answer the question. One of the most memorable moments in film.
I think Mr. Kranz would agree with our panelists, and with
Michael Jordan, and with anyone in this country and in this world who would
argue that there’s always a creative answer for any situation, challenge, or
hardship. It starts with enthusiasm and belief.
And above all, a fervent, almost blindless optimism.
And when you get around that wall, a nice cold of limoncello
will be waiting on the other side.
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