Determination or Extinction?
3 questions to ask when you’re blocked from succeeding.
I’m locked in a battle of wills with a robin. Yes, a robin. That harbinger of spring with the red breast and distinctive call. The robin is determined to build a nest on the light fixture next to my front door, directly above the mailbox. I am equally determined to have access to my front door and my mailbox during the 4 months it takes to build a nest, lay eggs, and send baby robins into the world.
The robin’s determination should not be underestimated. For 3 weeks we have engaged in a battle of wills. Multiple times every day the robin adds more nesting materials to their chosen spot. Multiple times every day I pull down the nesting materials.
The robin’s nesting period is April through July. They can produce 2-3 broods during this time. They’ve already missed out on the April brood as I systematically destroy their nest. Since I will not be relenting, this particular robin pair may miss their opportunity to create the next generation because they are refusing to accept that their chosen approach will not work. They are choosing extinction of their genetic material.
No, I’m not cruel. My entire yard is an intentional haven for wildlife. There are other nesting locations around my house. My yard is almost all native plants, no-mow-May, no fall cleanup, no pesticides, no chemicals, a heated bird bath, and a total softy of a homeowner. Good grief, I even named one of the bunnies that eats my new plants (Franklin). In other words, I’m willing to work with the robins to help them reach their goal.
Every activist reaches a point where they have to make a decision in the face of possibly insurmountable barriers. I learned a long time ago that, while never losing my focus on my goals, being flexible enough to pivot my approach is the key to success. My philosophy is, “if they won’t let me in the front door, I’ll rappel up the walls, tunnel under the foundation, or sneak in the side window, but I will solve the problem and get in.”
When you face an apparently insurmountable barrier, is it worth persevering, even if it means your own extinction based on the courage of your convictions, or should you find another path? I acknowledge the bravery we have seen of ordinary citizens facing down tanks or riot police, running underground resistance networks, or hiding and helping persecuted people, but most activists can, and should, live to fight another day. If for no other reason, permanently silencing activists is an effective intimidation tool. Don’t give up, but don’t be silenced if there is another way of speaking, acting, and molding positive change.
3 Questions to ask yourself:
Are you being held back because your determination has become rigid inflexibility and stubbornness? Is the ‘how it should be done’ more important than ‘what should be done’ or ‘why it should be done’?
Is there any other way to reach the same outcome?
Is it possible to work with the opposition? If not, how can you bring the opposition down? (Not, I hasten to add, through any violence, that is a serious problem in the U.S. on it’s own.)