The Lone Ranger Myth

There's a lie that lots of us have swallowed. I'm going to call it The Lone Ranger Myth. I'm sure this lie affects numerous aspects of our lives. I'm going to focus on how it screws with the creative process. Here's a typical scenario. Jimmy has an idea for a thingamajig. It's his idea so he goes it alone. He does a little research, finds materials, assembles them just so and shows thingamajig to his friends. The Backslappers say, "Cool, Jimmy." The Armlinkers agree but they also offer ideas on how to improve it. Jimmy only listens to the Backslappers. Nothing great ever happens with Jimmy's thingamajig. It sits on his shelf and all Jimmy has to show for his work are the echoes from the Backslappers.

The magic happens when Jimmy thanks the Backslappers and goes on an adventure with the Armlinkers. These are the folks Jimmy collaborates with to turn his thingamajig into something truly beautiful and useful. Collaboration with folks who are willing to link arms with you is the only path to greatness. The Lone Ranger Myth is the belief that your idea can only be yours if you and only you do all the work. That's moronic. Collaborate with the Armlinkers and you'll experience a sense of community, accomplishment and wonder at what you all created together.

A big thanks to all the Armlinkers in my life. I'm grateful and excited that lots of adventures are yet to come.