It Is Not Safe To Do Nothing

There is a term you will commonly hear in reference to Chets Creek. It is one that always makes me cringe when spoken and withdrawl from conversation. I don't know why I let it bother me so much, but I do.

Maverick. "One that refuses to abide by the dictates of or resists adherence to a group; a dissenter." Or,"Being independent in thought and action or exhibiting such independence." In light of a more positive term, I'd rather think of us as pioneers. "A person who goes before, preparing the way for others." And, although, I don't like the derogatory tone of the word maverick, I do understand why some use the term to describe us.

At Chets Creek, we live by three R's. Relationships, Risks, and Results. To live by the second term--Risks--we must be curious; we must push the envelope; we must be independent in thought; we must not be fearful and stuck. We are not willing to be mediocre.

I agree with Seth Godin when he states, "The riskiest thing you can do is play it safe." Playing it safe can only lead to more of the status quo. Just as Seth explains... there was a lot of effort by a lot of people to make him less curious, but he resisted. His resistance has lead to his success. I'm sure there are people whose jobs would be easier if we were less curious at Chets, but I also believe that pioneers make everyone's work better. I hope we hold tight to the risk taking and continue to push the envelope. Our children deserve it.