Are you the Eddie the Eagle of GIS?

You know Eddie the Eagle. The fearless British Olympic ski jumper. With only 2 years worth of experience a man who competed against others who had been jumping since childhood. Looked down upon by the horrid British toffs who still control skiing in the country.

Though he finished in last place at the Calgary Olympics, Eddie was the peoples favourite. Why? Because against all odds he trained and won a place to compete in the Olympics. Over the course of his career, Eddie fractured his skull twice and broke his jaw, collarbone, ribs, knee, fingers, thumbs, toes, back and neck. He lived hand to mouth, saving all his money for training. Eddie embodied the Olympic adage:

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”

Are you the Eddie the Eagle of GIS?

So why would I ask if you are you the Eddie the Eagle of GIS?

Eddie embodies fearless, determination. He was not put off by criticism, and old thinking. Being an Olympic ski jumper with so little experience seemed absurd. But not to Eddie. He pushed away doubt and forged ahead.

We live in changing times for GIS. Nobody has all the answers. New paths are being forged. Its our job as GIS experts, and those new to the technology to not fear change. But to embrace it; to lead from the front. To not get stuck in old thinking. Push boundaries. Advance the frontiers. Provide new ideas and innovative solutions. And not be put off by barriers. Whether its helping those new to GIS or building advanced GIS solutions, we are always inspired by the likes of Eddie.

I read too many inspirational words from successful rich people. True inspiration comes from the Eddie the Eagles of this world.

Matt Sheehan is the Founder of WebMapSolutions, a company which helps organizations big and small understand and use GIS to solve business problems. Connect with Matt on Google+, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Categories: ArcGIS Online, cloud GIS, location data, Mobile ArcGIS, Mobile GIS, Web and mobile GIS

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