The FiRe Mantra

In my opening remarks at Future in Review 2008, I mentioned a kind of mantra that had occurred to me earlier that day, when talking with Kelly Webb about what was going to be different about FiRe this year. Later, Larry Smarr picked up this set of ideas, and used them in his comments from the podium as the group toured his fantastic CalIT2 facilities (see film below). Since then, I mentioned these at my talk to the large gathering of venture capitalists at the San Diego Venture Group annual meeting, and they’ve asked permission to use them.

It occurred to me that I should include them here, for general consumption and use.

They’re simple, but they represent the “sea change” in thinking at FiRe:

It isn’t about the problems, it’s about the solutions.

It isn’t about tomorrow, it’s about now.

It isn’t about them, it’s about us.

In the hands of an informed optimist, these ideas encapsulate a new perspective on solving our own problems, now, rather than talking, or waiting for the government, or someone else, to take care of things.