You’ve Gotta Have Faith

I find in some circles the concept of faith feels taboo because of the word’s close association with religion. This post is not about that kind of faith. To me, faith is having enough conviction to attempt something for a greater good, even if you may never fully see the results. A few examples I’ve seen of this kind of faith are:

• The biologist post-doc who launches an experiment to better understand gene expression that takes years to prep, let alone execute, in an attempt to help cure cancer.
• The corporate director who stakes her livelihood and reputation on changing and building a better culture at her new job.
• Every parent ever who institutes an unpopular rule at home to help his child turn into a well rounded adult.

I personally struggle with this level of conviction. It takes a lot of courage to adhere to an idea that isn’t obvious to see or quick to pay off. I salute those who are able to openly discuss and act on such long-term or hard-to-prove beliefs. Through normalizing such faith, they help me and others feel increasingly comfortable betting on themselves and their own ideas.