Get Your Foot Off the Brake...

"You can't drive with the brakes on."  This is how Mark Foreman put in when he was being interviewed on Focus on the Family.  Mr. Foreman had been discussing how early on in our parenting career we need to make safety our number one goal for our kids.  However as they get older we have to let off the brakes so to speak and let kids drive through life a little bit.  The fact is if you have a twenty three year old who has never gotten a few bumps or bruises from life and living then he is going to have a hard time in this world.  We as parents need to learn to start taking our foot off the brakes as our kids get older.

This whole idea resonated with me not only as a parent but just in general.  As a parent I am constantly checking Amazon for a bubble to put Dotty in.  If it could be pink with sparkles even better.  In my ideal world she would never feel pain, disappointment, fear, heartbreak, loss, or anything negative.  I realize though putting her in a bubble would also keep her from feeling much love, joy, excitement, or happiness (I mean after the fun of living in a pink sparkly bubble wears off).

I also began to realize you can't drive with the brakes on in business either.  Just because you achieve one level of success does not mean you just get to park there and enjoy the view from now on.  Very successful companies like Mars, Incorporated (the candy company that makes M&Ms among other products) are constantly inventing new marketing ideas, changing product packaging, and trying to reach the next generation of consumers.  Have some ideas been not so great?  Of course they have.  Did you try the Strawberried Peanut Butter M&Ms or Chile Nut?  I haven't.  But you aren't always going to hit a homerun with every idea and that is the point.  You have to take your foot off the brake and step on the accelerator once in a while.  If you hit a wall, you clean up the wreckage, back up, figure out what went wrong and try again.  Personally, I am so glad that the Blue M&M got added to the color mix back in 1995.  It is one of my favorite colors...if I can ever find one. 

In business you will hit a bump or two when it comes to new ideas but you will also hit your stride as well.  As long as you take your foot off the brake and keep moving forward.  So grab the steering wheel, put on your seatbelt, and hit the gas.

Side note:  I read they also have a Pecan Pie M&M too.  I might have to look into that one!