Why not?...

“Some men see things as they are and, and ask why. 

I dream of things that never were and ask why not.

– John Kennedy

He was a man short in stature, but if personality and intellect count, he was a giant amongst his peers. It was the late 1980s and I was teaching at a small liberal arts college in Jefferson City, Missouri.  A busy orthopaedic surgeon, he was looking for a ghost writer, and I became his man. At least that’s how it started.

Between his surgical practice, medical consultancy, and business interests, there wasn’t much time left in his schedule. He had wanted to write an education book for his patients for a number of years. There had been several false starts with other people before I entered the scene…it just didn’t get done.  In essence, he bought my time. Six months later the book was published and in the hands of his patients.

I had never met anyone like him. He was smart and productive and he taught me that considering the possibilities was a powerful key to success. He wasn’t just a work assigner, but a mentor, teacher, and encourager in all areas of my professional life. He introduced me to a world I did not know existed. It was from him I learned the importance of embracing the unknown…not in a reckless way, but to look at and for new ideas and opportunities. He taught me the value of saying, “Why not?”

Stepping away…

As children we were inherently curious. Our worlds, in the early years, were one unknown experience after another. Everything was new, with few internal boundaries. Of course, life requires structure, and so as we grew, it was the ‘no you can’t’ that helped us learn we could not do everything we wanted. Growth came from curiosity and imagination – the ‘why nots’ of life.

It isn’t always the case that we continue ask ‘why not.’ When I taught at university, most of my colleagues were in  “Why would you do that?” bureaucratic mode. Consistent “why” mentalities and narratives suppress creative thought. The academic collective became too burdensome.

As a result, a fellow faculty member and I formed a small consulting company called Value Life Associates. We took the things we had learned in teaching and in life and applied them to a health and lifestyle business. Our days were filled considering new ideas and looking for ways to get them done. While we did not consciously mull over the ‘why not’ question, every time we broached something unknown, we evaluated whether we should do it or not. Most of the time we moved forward. It was a great time.

Stepping back…

In the beginning, Dr. ‘R’ gave assignments and checked my work. As time progressed, my job was to bring him new ideas and potential projects.

“Ted, come on in and have a seat,” he would say. “What do you have for me?”

I’d run through a short list of items…tasks completed and considerations for new things. He would consider what I even thought might be outrageous notions, yet seldom dismissed them out of hand.  It was the first time I had been around someone who had the resources and fearlessness to discuss and think about practically anything. A lot of projects never happened, but a lot of them did. His mind set could not have been more different than what I had experienced in academia.

The time I spent with Dr. ‘R’ changed everything about my life and the way I look at things. His enthusiasm, intellect and willingness to consider almost anything was the launching pad for the rest of my professional career. His mentorship and the people I met through this remarkable man’s example continue to shape my life.

“Why not?” Simple words and yet they represent a doorway of through which almost everything meaningful in life happens. “Why not” suggests forward leaning. These uncomplicated words have provided the courage to go places and do things I would never have considered in my wildest dreams. Failures? Sure. But failures are the best teachers. They bring wisdom and thoughtful deliberation for the next door, behind which is the subsequent unknown.

The next time you find yourself with a new opportunity, rather than saying, “Why should I do this?” Try saying “Why not?”

ted