Comments on: Silver Bullet Thinking

By: Chase Sanders

Chase Sanders — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:12:25 +0000

Great insight. Might even make a great book. just saying. As always, thanks for the wisdom.

By: Dennis Disney

Dennis Disney — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:17:29 +0000

Impeccable timing on this post for me, Michael. I just met with my new financial planning coach on Friday (actually, I've not signed with him yet, but I know I will). As I was summarizing the status of my business and personal life, he immediately recognized that I've been too focused on finding a singular silver bullet to redeem my "sins" of the past, financially speaking. He stated, as you have, that I have to "get crystal clear on the future we want to create and let that inform the present." Instead, for months now I've only been able to recite chapter and verse about past successes, failures and vision; but, I not articulate a clear vision for my future.

Thanks for a great post. It affirms what I've been meditating on for the past three days.

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By: AngelaSchaefers

AngelaSchaefers — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:54:40 +0000

Keeping your focus on the outcome you are attempting to achieve, whether personally or professionally is essential for success. It also helps when you feel overwhelmed or that things just aren't working as you had planned or hoped for. Our current economic situation is one example of that! I find keeping my focus and living life intentionally, in the moment, works best for me. I don't miss opportunities to be in relationship with others, network or the chance to create business opportunities. It's quite powerful, and leads to a life where you truly feel if this is all there is, it's enough. Because of course life is unpredictable, so why not live your best life today?

By: Shirley_Bovshow

Shirley_Bovshow — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 02:21:55 +0000

Hello Michael, this is my first comment on your blog.

Unfortunately, the "Silver Bullet" mentality permeates more than just business, it transfers over to relationships, self improvement quests and more.

A lot of energy and passion usually is invested in securing that the Silver Bullet is in place and then inactivity replaces it as people wait for the "magic pill" to fix things.

Think, "when I get married our relationship will be stronger," or, "when I lose 20lbs I will feel better about myself." We believe in the transformative power of new situations and new leaders but the reality is that change is a proactive and cumulative activity.

I look forward to reading more of your posts.
Shirley Bovshow

By: kevincooper

kevincooper — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:58:04 +0000

Great post Michael. I've experience this in my own company. Very true. Applies to businesses and churches. Ultimately to correct for the "silver bullet" thinking, you have to go back to exactly what you laid out in your four points.

By: Mary DeMuth

Mary DeMuth — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:42:40 +0000

What a perfect post for me at this time. Interesting that I started a new business right when the financial world crumbled. But your four points have blessed me and affirmed what I’ve been pursuing. Thanks!

By: Paul Wallis

Paul Wallis — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 05:39:27 +0000

Michael you are so right about people’s appetite for single-layer solutions to multi-layered problems. I have seen plenty of silver-bullet thinking in the Church over the years. I have been enormously enriched by what church growth, the cell movement, charismatic renewal, DAWN, Alpha and other sources have contributed to the life of the Church, but one by one I have seen them often presented in some circles as the “great white hope” or as you put it; the “silver bullet”. Needless to say, people eventually get burned-out by this cataclysmic approach to the Church’s journey of faith.

Case in point: I was at a meeting of senior pastors in our city a couple of years back. The pastors shared a very layered, detailed and nuanced understanding of the challenges facing the churches. The disconnect between our church-world and our wider community was, we agreed, a complex and multi-layered problem. The group’s understanding of the issues at hand was impressive, honest, wide-ranging and thorough.

Yet the response for which this same meeting voted; to bring Evangelist N to town to hold a crusade to convert the unchurched and pep up the pastors! The complete disconnect between the analysis and the response was astounding. Evidently that silver-bullet mind-set takes a lot more than understanding to shake-off. To bring a multi-layered response to a multi-layered problem actually requires an emotional ability to act and react through long periods of uncertainty and irresolution. Any long-term strategy requires that psychological skill.

Without that skill any lasting endeavour – be that the nurturing of a business, the shepherding of a church, or ones own walk with God – will find itself prematurely burned out.

Thanks for this great post, Michael. Just like the phrase “the emperor’s new clothes” did, with “silver-bullet thinking” you have given a name to a common and complex psychology – and made it easy to get a handle on.

By: RAMIR B. MENDOZA

RAMIR B. MENDOZA — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:07:54 +0000

am blest by this article . . .