I often hear people say, “I live on the cutting-edge.” What I think they mean to say is they live on the bleeding edge. I’ve never quite understood how important it would be to be on the cutting edge, because it seems to be too thin to be substantial for long.
So in light of that, in this Dave Rave, I want to talk about the five best things that you can be behind.
- It’s best to be behind the latest thing. Don’t be too quick to get in on the latest thing. Oftentimes it’s the thing that fails and costs the most money. Sometimes those people on the cutting edge really bleed the most. And if you hang back and learn, you can gain a lot of valuable information and experience without having to go through the pain of the loud thud of failure.
- It’s best to be behind the crowd. The majority may rule, but often the majority is wrong. That’s why in this country, in this democracy, we have what we call a republic, a representative form of government. We elect people to go and make decisions in our name. Why? Because if the majority had to vote on everything, nothing would get done. More importantly, the wrong things would be done. So don’t be so quick to follow the crowd. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean it’s right, profitable, or fits you.
- It’s best to be behind the trend. Trends are usually those things that are made by talking heads on TV taking polls and surveys and using them to justify their existence. Today’s trend can easily be tomorrow’s cautionary tale.
- It’s best to be behind a great cause that is bound to prevail. One of the reasons I am a Christian is because I want to be behind a big, epic movement; a Renegade movement started by The Renegade from Nazareth. What is this movement? Not to make the world more religious, mad, or messed up. Having three major components, it is a movement centered on redemption, reconciliation, and restoration. It’s a cause that has endured for thousands of years, and will continue to endure for thousands more. I want to make sure I’m behind a cause that is bigger than me and will outlive me.
- It’s best to be behind great people. You can be at the right place at the right time, have a lot of talented people around you, and look successful for awhile. But over time, the time has a way of revealing not just the content of your marketing, but the content of your character. Whether it’s at home, at church, or in the marketplace, make sure you are behind good people, people who you admire and respect, people who are growing and leading, full of joy and energy; people who understand the difference between power and control and inspire and influence.