The Problem Is The Path: A Reflection on 10 Years - An Invitation to the Impossible

We made it to 10 years!

90% of new organizations, businesses, or startups die in the first 5 years. We made it double that by working hard together and overcoming tens of thousands of challenges. And we know we still have a long way to go.

7 Cups is a bit of a paradox. We have high hopes while at the same time being in the nitty-gritty of daily problem solving. We keep our eyes on the north star, but also roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty each and every day. We hold this tension, this juxtaposition, between what is now and what could be in the future.

How do we make progress? We make progress through problem solving. We don’t have a grand strategy; rather, we believe the problem is the path and we solve the next biggest problem in front of us. When we get that one done, we move onto the next and so on. And that is how we’ve collectively built 7 Cups. This concept can be tough to get your mind around. This is a good book that can help.

How do we continue to problem solve to make gains? We are hopeful, work hard, persevere, and collaborate. But there is another variable too and one that we don’t have good language to capture.

We can point to it with words like good fortune, luck, blessing, chance, fate, grace, kismet and godsend.

7 Cups is by far the hardest thing that I’ve ever tried to do in my life. I’ve pushed myself past the breaking point several times. I don’t recommend this. I was just trying with all that I could and felt it was the only option. And you know what? I kept coming up short. But, then, something else would happen—something that I have no control over—something that has zero to do with my efforts or capabilities. And once again we’d catch a lucky break and be back on track.

Carl Jung would define these happy accidents as synchronicities, “events that appear meaningfully related yet lack a causal connection.” Some people call these miracles. For me, they often feel like stumbling upon a secret passageway or finding a hidden key. Like our backs are against the wall and then the eagles swoop in and rescue us like in this scene in the Hobbit.

Early on I was very aware of the enormous challenges we faced and it admittedly was overwhelming. I was afraid we wouldn’t be able to solve them. Then, with hard work (and a lot of luck) we’d figure it out and move onto the next challenge. Over time, and overcoming obstacles, I have developed more faith in us and more faith that these seeming coincidences will break our way.

Most very fortunate people have caught lightning in a bottle 1x in life. Somehow, our community has managed to catch it 3x. We will likely need to catch it 3 more times to make this work. A betting man wouldn’t bet on us. He’d look at us and say, “Well, yes, they have been remarkably fortunate, but their luck will run out at some point.”

I am taking the other side of that bet. I am betting - we are betting - that our luck or good fortune will not run out, but may even increase. Why? I’m not entirely sure, but I can tell you that is the trend I’ve been observing. Each year we have more and more good fortune and I think this will continue to compound.

Am I overly optimistic? Probably. Will we make 1000s of more mistakes? Yes you can count on it. Will there be more near death experiences? I hope not!

What we are doing is a unique experiment. We are betting that we can all work together to create a community that helps people get better in real ways. That IS what we are up to. And as much as I admire and deeply respect our collective work and community, this is a daunting feat and I know that we will need a lot of help to get there.

Will we make it to the summit?

I see no reason why we will not. Afterall, we’ve made it this far, and we are more than halfway up the mountain. I’d like to think we are past the most challenging parts of the journey!

Thank you for your hope, your hard work, your collaboration, and your trust. I will continue to do my best and give it all I’ve got to get us there. What we’re doing is virtually unheard of. We’re creating the map as we venture further on, and we are going to need some help far beyond anything that I can cook up.

7 Cups was and is an invitation to the impossible. Let’s continue to pour into each other and our community and see where the path leads. I’m looking forward to taking in that summit view with all of you.

In closing, Lisa said the following about being aware of good fortune, things breaking your way, or synchronicity, “It represents the flow of life happening all around us and if we pay attention to those moments, we can find valuable insight. Becoming more mindful is one way of becoming more attuned to synchronicities.” A reflection question: Have you experienced or been surprised by good fortune or luck in your life in unexpected ways? If yes, any insights you can share with us so we can better understand?

With deep respect, gratitude, and love,
Glen