What Keeps You Up, Or What Gets You Up?

As my bio explains, I am a career consultant, and most of my career has been spent in areas related to regulatory compliance and risk management. There is a well-worn question that has probably been inducted into the ‘Consultant Cliche Hall of Fame’ that asks, “What keeps you up at night?” This was once a great question to help understand the most troubling problems our clients face so that we, the consultants, could remain mindful of their needs in the business relationship.
For me, a more exciting question is, “What gets you up in the morning?”  I am much more energized by what energizes others – not what worries them.  I want to operate in the conversation of dreams and desires rather than fear.  One mindset touts, “Be careful”, and the other shouts, “Be bold!”.  Both offer value in a society steeped in tradition of commerce.  However, the former seems to be much more an easier sell than the latter.  Organizations seem psychology driven to be less sparing on expenditures for protection almost to the point of prevention.  In my view, the “Be careful” message emerges in a large part from litigation concerns and the “Be bold” message is suppressed by regulatory heavy handedness and a contraction of entrepreneurial support.
In this TED Talk video, Sir Ken Robinson closes off with a very moving plea that we tread softly – for the dreams of children our placed beneath our feet.  While I cannot (dare I even try to) match his inspirational panache, I will assert this much: our nation was founded on the dreams of men and women, not their fears.  I seek to support that which gets you up in the morning and I am proud when dreams are placed beneath my feet – for I shall tread softly.
Have a great day and thanks for reading.  Comments are, as always, welcome.
Matt G.