Challenge, Conflict, and Catastrophe
This quote stood out to me as my son and I made our way through Fan Expo Vancouver a few years ago.
“Our very strength invites challenge.” — Vision, Captain America: Civil War
I’m a big fan of Vision, so that might be why it stood out to me at first glance.
But it really got me thinking about how having a strong process in place to get things done can invite challenges to it by virtue of its strength. Those challenges can be internal — the desire for more spontaneity, a blip in the usual schedule, a change of environment. They can also be external — pressure from colleagues to change, a new piece of software requirements, a change of atmosphere.
And there’s a further element to that quote from Vision:
“Challenge incites conflict. And conflict breeds catastrophe.”
I believe that trust in your process — and its strength — can stave off that conflict. Or at least temper it. That way you can avoid the last phase: catastrophe.
So the next time you think about whether or not you should put a process in place to help you do your best work and live your best life (or strive to strengthen a process already in place), remember that a strong process invites challenge. But you can meet the challenges of life far better with the process than without one.
