many of us have caught ourselves in the midst of a dangerous tell. others divulge great knowledge, gifts and secrets every week. what is it about cultivating an edge that inevitably leads to it being shared? does being charitable, in this light, not negate the edge? is there some special fit between an edge and its bearer that’s unique, tailored and non-transferable? one thing is for sure. edge is credited often, and in every competitive arena — whether that’s a playing field or a marketplace. you can’t move ahead of the pack without it. you’re told that once you’ve lost it, finito.
if i lean in one direction, it’s that an edge can’t fully be assimilated. it takes wonder, wishfulness and willpower to even pursue and develop an edge in the first place. few have that burning desire or curiosity in his/her belly. that means that few can take an edge and execute like its previous vessel. many are perfectly at ease with following life’s various manuals and attaining acceptable levels of performance. as students, some just won’t have what it takes to match or outdo their teachers.
that brings this around to perspective — the way in which one person perceives, parses and positions information to inform a more polished understanding of the way things are. is information not the same everywhere? it’s perspective that decides who gets it and how much of it. perhaps perspective is why i share at just about every turn. helping others is good practice, and i never feel that i’m at risk of irrelevance or bankrupcy. perhaps it’s my respect of karma that leads me to be so free with edge.
i’m reminded of a conversation that hip hop artist missy elliott and rock and roll hall of famer prince once had on the subject. missy elliott was fired up years ago that artists were “stealing” production methods from her and co-producer timbaland. she even went so far as to write new material that challenged that others had been copying — which one could argue was, in itself, copying through rehash. prince stepped in with a simple suggestion. why not change the game all over again? you did it once and could do it again. there’s nothing gained by copying something that’s already been improved. the bottom line — keep inventing.
