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The cannabis industry is just…different. Generally speaking, there’s a willingness to give and help for the sake of giving and helping.
The adage ‘rising tides lift all boats’ comes to mind; it happens to be one that comes up frequently in cannabis meetings and events. It’s likely the fledgling aspect of the industry that contributes greatly to this atypical, but necessary collaborative spirit.
What do the folks in the cannabis industry all have in common? Besides unwavering respect and awe for advocates and legacy (a better term would be pioneer!) operators who made arriving at today possible as well as appreciation for all that the plant provides, they tend to have a similar approach to their work as well as how they live their lives.
There’s as many different kinds of approaches as there are people, which is…a lot. But, generally speaking, it boils down to 3 categories - Adventure, Autopilot, and Ambivalent.
What’s the adventurer approach?
The adventurer approach doesn’t always mean climbing mountains or jetting off to exotic locations (although he/she/they might be). Adventure, in this case, is about embracing that fact that change is hard and risk doesn’t automatically equal a quick no. The adventurer finds themselves considering what’s next often. It’s not a classification. It’s the way to describe their default approach to life choices. The adventurer moves fast - it could be too fast at times - to discover and explore to satisfy what’s internally motivating the compulsion to advance.
And the autopilot?
The autopilot approach is always working to get to a comfortable place, making decisions that prioritize ease and homeostasis. Those who lean into the autopilot place aren’t necessarily always making choices to get to “easy,” but to further predictability and manageability. The autopilot decisions are typically plateau-oriented, seeking out the perpetual even line, rather than ups-and-downs. The autopilot approach is informed by a desire to achieve a certain level of steady life progression, not one that features the peaks and valleys of adventure or the lack of choice associated with ambivalence.
Where does the ambivalent fit?
The ambivalent approach lets things happen, rather than occupying the decision-making space. He/she/they accept that things occur as they occur, letting circumstances and others dictate what happens next. There’s reassurance in the fact that just being is enough, without the responsibility of choices made. Sometimes it’s an intentional act, while sometimes, it’s paralysis (often with plenty of explanation behind it). The ambivalent approach lets life happen and is often willing to accept the outcomes, assuming they acknowledge their inaction.
The absolutes?
Rarely do folks find themselves falling exclusively into any of the categories; it’s often a blend and dependent upon different areas of their lives.
There isn’t one “right” way, so none of the three choices are correct and none are incorrect. They just yield different results.
The approach we take is an accumulation of our experiences, our beliefs and values, our relationships, and our state of being when the opportunities for choice arise.
The approach is the common tie in the cannabis space. An ambivalent or autopilot approach just doesn’t work. The industry, especially those who took those boldest and biggest steps and those who work to honor what’s called the legacy market, is comprised of passionate people who take the adventurer approach. Cannabis is a new, everchanging industry with scores of obstacles. Those who are making it happen and have been fighting for years to do so - they harness an adventurer approach to their work and likely…their lives. This probably rings true for all the pioneers that risked so much for decades, those to whom we owe so much.
To all those in the cannabis space, to those who take the adventure approach in work and in life - your efforts are changing the status quo. Nothing will ever make the injustices of the past or present acceptable, but things are changing. You are making the changes happen.
Contact Elucidation Strategies for cannabis educational services.
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