Be Imaginative.  This is the third of the six GSD Factor attributes.  

Here’s a quick recap:

The GSD Factor life consists of six attributes: Be Confident, Be Inquisitive, Be Imaginative, Be Present, Be Resilient, and Be Influential.  

What does it mean when we say, “Be Imaginative”? The definition that we have framed around this is:

“The determination to dream big, never being satisfied with the status quo, to be the innovating solutionist, to continue to break down barriers and say, “I’m here; what can we improve? What is impossible that we can make possible?”

Dream Big. My team hears it. My clients hear it. My kids hear it. Imagination and dreams go hand in hand. 

Given my family legacy, especially in the military and space expeditions, one of our favorite family movies is Apollo 13. This movie, directed by Ron Howard, is a dramatization of the events that surrounded the technical difficulties of NASA’s 1971 lunar-landing mission. It is a story of courage, quick-thinking and composure under life-threatening pressure. One of my favorite scenes is where Gene Kranz, the chief flight director played by Ed Harris, has just called a meeting, and he is trying to understand the capabilities of the systems they have. He says to the team: “I don’t care about what anything was DESIGNED to do, I care about what it CAN do.” Harris’s character dared to challenge the status quo and push the team to think outside of the box. It was that kind of thinking that helped the team to solve the problem, ultimately bringing the stranded astronauts back to earth safely.  If you ever find yourself up against what seems like an impossible situation, and something is stirring you to try a different solution or present a unique viewpoint, go for it.

The drive of never being satisfied and never settling embodied my grandfather’s life and mission, and he passed this to me as one of the key attributes of the GSD Factor life.

Everyone has problems, challenges that disrupt the overall enjoyment or successful flow of our lives. People have problems getting along with co-workers, problems saving money, problems maintaining healthy lifestyles. The list goes on. Everyone also sees problems. These are problems that are noticeable to everyone but can’t necessarily be changed on an individual level. For example, we see problems with the environment, problems with the education system, problems in politics, even problems we see with our friends, family members, or co-workers. Problems are unavoidable. Whether at home, at work, among family, or among friends, we all face them. I believe, though, that the way we approach problems separates us into two types of people: problem-pointers and problem-solvers.

Think about how many times you hear someone complain about a problem, and compare that with how many times you actually see or hear about people who take the initiative to fix a problem that is staring right at them. The time and resources spent by the rest of the population pointing it out, complaining, and over-communicating is staggering. What if, as a population and a world, we just moved the needle just a little? How different would our world look? How different would companies run? 

Being a problem-solver and not a problem-pointer is one of the main fundamentals of living the GSD Factor life. If you find yourself on the solving side of that categorization, then you’re probably a person who, as we know I like to say, gets shit done. 

I would like to introduce you to Melissa Blatt of Indipop.  She is a GSD woman who embodies the attribute, Be Imaginative.  She saw a problem in health care options for the independent population or better known as the 57 million Americans that are self-employed.  She challenged the status quo and determined that COBRA can’t be the only option designed for this group of people, so she began searching for an alternative option to serve their needs.  She became a problem-solver.  Through her passion and drive of never being satisfied, she found the alternative.  She found a solution that could work for these families, which means they can be free to do their best work and pursue their dreams, without worrying about “what-if” scenarios.  

Back in December, we shared about creating a plan and leaning on our GSD Factor Clan when we need help.   Being prepared gives you peace of mind.  GSD Factor has partnered with Indipop to make health plans accessible to our GSD Factor Community that include everyday care needs, low out-of-pocket maximums for medical emergencies with set rates, and no surprise bills so buyers can confidently care for themselves and their families.  Reach out to Melissa, so she can assist you with reviewing the best plan for your expected and unexpected medical needs in life.

As we go out into this new year, BE IMAGINATIVE. Dream big; challenge the status quo, and be a problem solver.  We can’t wait to see your GSD in action.