Attitudinal Ancestors or Is Parking Karma Just Showing Up

Ever notice how some people seem to almost always manage to get excellent parking spots even in the middle of big cities like New York?  Did you also ever notice it also seems to be hereditary? That peoples whose parents had or have great parking karma seem to have it as well?

This phenomena seems to apply to adeptness at mathematics, business, creativity and perhaps everything. Could it be the parents are simply modeling a good behavior that their offspring sometimes embrace? I am wondering if this phenomena is in some way related to the well known principle that “you miss 100% of the shots you never take” which in its most generalized form may be about “simply showing up”.

If you do not look for a parking spot right outside your destination, but instead get into the habit of parking several blocks away anticipating there will be no parking at your destination than this becomes a self fulfilling prophesy.  If you never show up at your destination you can never find a spot right there.

Innovation is exactly like this. If you assume there is a better way to address any situation and can have some sort of insight you are ready to apply, then you are the kind of person who will drive right up to the situation and not park several blocks away.

In other words, the people who think they are innovative are far more likely to be, than those who think they are not.

The good news is you can choose your inheritance and therefore do not necessarily need to be born with it. As there does not seem to be a gene for parking or math or innovation it appears what is inherited is an attitude. As there is no attitudinal  blood or genetic material being shared with your ancestors you can choose your ideational attitudinal ancestors.

You can choose your influences. Choose your fiends. Choose who you spend time with. Choose your models.  Chose what you want to inherit! Create your own karma. In fact create your own Dharma too while you are at it.

All of these choices can be considered to be examples of manifestations of “clarity of intention”. Intend to inherit. As a corollary, choose what to not inherit as well. If you think you can not park in New York City and there is no reason for driving there at all, you may have a point there. On the other hand if you view it as an adventure where there is a good chance of finding a spot right out front, than go for it.

The odds of getting into an elite institution or becoming a professional athlete are far lower than finding a parking spot in NYC. The odds of innovating in the face of the opportunities known as problems are quite good if you believe you can. And if you do not than the odds are completely against you.

Innovation is far more about attitude than about talent. Perhaps insight is significantly in the realm of talent. But Innovation requires one to Apply that Insight and application is considerably more about effort than about talent.

What matters more than talent and effort, is attitude. Attitude is more of a belief or faith, than a rational stance entirely based upon facts.

Innovation is about audacity not algorithms. Choose your ancestors from your heroes. Read books about innovators and declare yourself to be their offspring.  Is it considered audacious to choose your ancestors? Sure it is. But not any harder than finding a parking spot in Manhattan. In these and most other situations, the  first thing to do, is show up which is necessary but not sufficient. Human potential is unbounded. We can all bring our attitudes into alignment with this fact and show up.