Another great comeback to “We tried that once!”

Whenever you present a new idea, there’s always someone waiting to say it: “We tried that once!” 

There are a million variations of how they can say it, and just as many good ways to respond. Here’s my new favorite of the moment: “We obviously survived!”

That would be the less polite version of what Becki Harris sent me. Her version is far more calm and considered: 

“It’s time we revisit this idea.  We last tried it X years ago, and here are the stumbling blocks we ran into that time. And then here’s why now is different.”

She said “it’s also nice to point out that this project may have failed once, but the world didn’t come to an end. So what’s the worst that can happen? If we fail again this time, we know that life will go on.”

We obviously survived! We should keep trying things! 

Keep shaping the future of your town, 
Becky

PS – Something I said on Twitter this week: If you want to spur local entrepreneurship, create context, not contests. Offer more small spaces to experiment with others and fewer high stakes pitch competitions