Anti "No Way"

"No way," we can accomplish that is a phrase we often hear. The "no way" phrase is a staple when things get complicated, or challenges seem huge. Yet, in reality, "no way" is never accurate. There's always a way to make something positive happen if you spend more time on the design, strategy, thinking, creating, and less time on the complaining. For example, in 2006, Blackberry had control of the mobile phone device market. They ruled the portable phone space, controlling over 97% of the market share. That's not a typo. 97% of all the phones in the globe came from Blackberry. Those numbers were beyond dominating. Do you think Steve Jobs said there is "no way" we can ever take down Blackberry? Do you think software developers for Apple or Android just gave up because of Blackberry's dominance? No way.

Former Paramount Pictures chairman Robert Evans who recently passed away at the tender age of eighty-nine was a significant proponent of not succumbing to the "no way" philosophy. He also was the unconventional swordsman. At the time of Evans hiring to run Paramount, the company was embarking on bankruptcy. His hire in Hollywood circles was viewed as unorthodox because Evans had zero experience running a company. His background centered on acting and producing. Because of the financial restraints at Paramount, Evans could not compete with the titans of the industries for top billing acting talent. Instead, he decided to sign authors and buy book rights; figuring the words, not the actors, would make the films successful. Mostly everyone laughed at Paramount until Evans produced: Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, Rosemary's Baby, The Italian Job, True Grit, Love Story, Harold and Maude, The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, Serpico, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Save the Tiger, The Conversation, Chinatown, The Great Gatsby, and many other classics. Paramount Pictures went from not having a future to putting others out of business. No way could Robert Evans ever produce, but someway and somehow he did.  

Understand that individuals that claim and latch onto a "no way" state of mind are:

1. Lazy and won't challenge themselves to think outside the box.

2. Don't have a growth mindset.

3. Prefer mundane over excitement.

4. Take the path of least resistance and discomfort.

5. Afraid of making a mistake. 

Next time you hear "no way" remember that no way means there is always a way for those courageous enough to explore the unknown and challenge the status quo.

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