Playing Small Is A Game of Avoidance

By Les Mottosky

A single big, bold idea can change a business forever. It happens all the time. But it makes one wonder: how many unspoken ideas doomed a business because it seemed risky or too 'out there' to share?

Nike's famous "Just do it" was infamously inspired by convicted murderer Gary Gilmore's last words ("Let's do it") before his 1977 firing squad execution in Utah. Ad exec Dan Wieden (from Nike's agency Wieden+Kennedy) adapted it, dropping "Let's" for broader, more relatable impact. The rest is branding history.

Wisdom teachers from every corner of the planet have suggested that life is a game. This idea is "Don't sweat the small stuff"adjacent. A reminder that we take too many things entirely too seriously. This terminal seriousness comes with a steep price; the contraction of our experience.

Life’s not a poker game, where you bluff your way through it. Think more, high stake strategy game. Where playing small doesn’t just limit you, it restricts the whole board.

We're taught to “fit in,” to “be realistic,” to “play it smart.” But those rules weren’t written by the bold. These were people trying to stay safe. Safety is not the point of the game. (A rule difficult to remember when institutions from government and business persistently parrot: "Safety is our top priority.") Well-intended as it is, the over-emphasis on safety is ultimately a game of avoidance.

The point of life is growth, adaptation, expansion, creativity and evolution - the direction of all living things. The consciousness of a person or business doesn’t evolve by accident. It expands through bold play, creative risk and jumping beyond the familiar.

Playing bigger isn’t about ego or attention. It's pure alignment with purpose by syncing your inner knowing with outer action. This is showing up full-on and at full scale. Not the performative version that gets applause and ignores impact. It's about energizing every space you're in, because you remember you're here to leave a love tattoo on the universe. Not of your name, but of the service provided to others.

There’s urgency now. The board's heating up. Systems are wobbling. Old stories are collapsing under the weight of delusion. If there was ever a time to step in with vision, courage, and audacity, it’s now. Your bigger play might unlock someone else’s.

Aim to trigger a chain reaction.

Bold moves are how real change works. Cautious tweaks are for the meeks.

Whatever game you’ve been playing, zoom out and ask: what would “bigger” look like? Feel like? Risk like?

If you've been on the sidelines, the time for avoidance is over. Get on the field.

Go play with a ferocity that takes everything – and everyone – to the next level.

And above all, remember: it's a game. All of it.

TAGS: #Adaptation As Innovation #Wisdom In Leadership #Play Bigger #Observing #Courage Is Our Nature

Les Mottosky

Adaptation Strategist // I help organizations turn creativity into their competitive advantage by aligning leadership, culture and strategy to unlock adaptive innovations.

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lesmottosky@mac.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/les-mottosky-9b94527/