Open Space

I read this passage in the bible the other night. It was in Genesis, and Isaac (Abraham’s son, now grown up) was traveling through a certain area, and he kept finding wells only to have those around him claim them as their own. Finally he finds one that no one else claims.

I guess it was a custom to name stuff like wells in those days (the other two he named “argument” and “hostility” – I think we should start naming businesses like this. That would be just awesome!). So he calls this one “open space” because he’s finally found a place that is open and no one else calls their own.

I wrote a few weeks ago, that my word for the year is ‘Freedom.’ I think I can now add to that “open space.” It seems like no matter what you do in life – if you are creative at all, someone comes in and claims it as their own. Business, family, personal, you name it, if it has value someone else wants it.

Kind of reminds me of that book Blue Ocean Strategy. Sometimes you gotta sail for a while before you find a place that isn’t full of other people doing the same thing OR people who claim what you are doing as their own (red ocean as opposed to blue ocean where you are in open space).

In the case of the above, Isaac had to go through 3 different places before he found his “open space” Sometimes I think numbers in the bible is more metaphoric than anything (though it can at the same time be pretty literal). 3 probably seemed like a lot of times when you’re just trying to find some water for your sheep and family.

But in the end it was worth it. I hope you find your open space this year.