Why Be Realistic?

Why be realistic?

Prior to cell phones, if someone would have told you that you would carry a little device with no wires and be able to speak to someone on the other side of the world, you may have thought they were crazy and unrealistic.

Prior to electricity, if someone would have told you that you could flick a switch and lights would turn on enough to light a city, you would have thought this person was delusional and unrealistic.

Prior to planes, if someone would have told you that you could bend a piece of metal and fly over the ocean, you would have called this insanity and unrealistic.

Obviously we can talk to anyone around the world on a cell phone, we have electricity, and can fly around the world and back on airplanes; all because people were unrealistic.

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." 

-George Bernard Shaw

So why be realistic?

Delusional: Having false or unrealistic beliefs or opinions

According to Psychology Today, Psychologists have determined that delusional people are both happier and more productive. Those who are delusional will be generally more energetic in their goal pursuits, and will generally aim higher than those who are more realistic. According to a psychological study, unrealistic people will usually accomplish more than an unrealistic person.

When I am reading a blog and see a video about Steve Jobs, I see an unrealistic person and someone that changed the world. When I read a blog empowering women and discussing a revolution for a true equality for women, I see someone that people would have scorned at years ago and women that stepped out of the norm to progress such a movement.  I could go on to describe such people, but there is no doubt that it is the unrealistic people that change the world.

So now, when someone talks about something that does not seem possible, when someone has a seemingly unduly confidence in their success despite their circumstance, or when someone seems delusional, do not be quick to count them out; they may just change the world.

It is not strictly an unrealistic attitude that will progress someone forward, but coupled with other necessary leadership traits, it serves as a catalyst and brings enough optimism to see a dream through fruition. 

Be unrealistic. Be delusional. Become a leader. And…as Mr Jobs would say, “Think Different.”

Give 'em The Finger[s]

Bank of America: “I have over $2 billion dollars in assets and I am going to make an independent decision to charge you money for using your debit card.”

Consumer: “Don’t mess with me; I have a Facebook profile and 500 friends.”

Bank of America: “Ok sorry. We won't charge you.”

When big organizations such as corporations or governments try to exercise unapproved authority over consumers or citizens now, they get the fingers.

Kristen Christian, an Echo Park, California resident started a consumer holiday by just posting a rant as her Facebook status. The holiday: “Bank Transfer Day.” The 27 year old has had over 75,000 people pledge to participate in transferring their bank accounts to non-profit credit unions by Saturday.

22-year old Molly Katchpole started a petition on change.org to stop the proposed bank fee and had more than 300,000 people join the campaign.

What do these two girls have in common? The two girls in their 20’s took on the mega-bank and started a movement by taking less than a minute to type and post their views. 


Since September 29, about 650,000 U.S. consumers opened credit union accounts, an amount estimated to be around 4.5 billion dollars. Looks like the big banks have lost much of their power. 

The power now lies with consumers who speak with their fingers and vote with their feet.

Facebook is free, Twitter is free, and now debit card usage is free.

Even the corporation that created the biggest social media platform faces the wrath of the monster it created. In the past, Facebook changed privacy settings based on the backlash it received from upset users. There is a clear power shift and we are witnessing something that will change the way the world works right in front of our eyes.

Before, people would stand in front of grocery stores and try to talk others into signing a petition. The result: a few signatures and a lot of awkward looks. Each of us has avoided “those people” who try to solicit their views. Now people we trust can click on the word “Share” on their friend’s Facebook status and immediately share it with all of their friends.

This is effective because of the trust factor. Friends trust their friends, not some stranger on the street advocating a cause. When a friend shares a message, we listen, we are more likely to believe it, and more likely to share the message with our friends because it is easy. It happens with a click of a button. I can click "share" on my profile and have over 2,500 friends in every continent read what I say and share it with their friends.

Social media is a worldwide phenomenon.

The New York Times even called the uprising in North Africa “A Facebook Revolution.” It offers a platform to say “you are not alone; see you in Tahrir Square [in Egypt].” The Egyptian government tried to paralyze the movement by shutting down the internet, but it was too late.

During the Iranian movement, Twitter even claimed that it had delayed scheduled downtime for maintenance because of Iranian protesters’ need for its service.

Facebook and Twitter cannot take credit alone for many uprisings, but it truly deserves due credit. Social media starts the idea, but the protests following take more than just a few clicks of a button. People need to take action. 


Social media connects the people and provides momentum. It empowers them.  

There is power in numbers. The numbers following a dollar sign are far less powerful now than numbers of people connected. There has been some clear power shift and the world will never be the same.