No it’s not! I hear this phrase all the time and it drives me out of my mind. I bet not a single truly successful person has ever said this phrase and if they did they didn’t really mean it. There are two main categories people fall into when they say this. The first is they really don’t care enough to actually give a thoughtful comment or answer to whatever the situation is. The second is they are simply accepting things for the way they are and they don’t think they can change them. I’ve found myself falling into the first category in the past but based on my feels about the second category I never will again. The second category is what average is all about and I never want to be average. I never want to just accept things for the way they are. You can always do something about a situation to improve it.

Here are a few examples of “it is what it is” and the people/companies who didn’t accept it:

• It is what it is: Personal transportation is either too expensive (Limo services) or the service is terrible and unreliable (Taxi cabs)
• No it’s not: Uber
• It is what it is: You have to trade off style and performance when making an electric car
• No it’s not: Elon Musk
• It is what it is: Margins are bad in air travel so we have to cut back on everything including service
• No it’s not: Richard Branson

 

I could go on and on with examples but you get the point. These are great companies and great people who are doing great things. I don’t think we all need to strive to make a worldwide impact with our ideas but I do think we all have ideas in us that can change things for the better. The next time you hear someone say “it is what it is” take a few minutes and see if you can answer it with “not it’s not” and then do something to improve it. Good luck and happy selling.