It Is (So Much More Than) What It Is

"It Is What It Is."

If you ask me, it's a sad sign of our times that at every turn, someone utters "It Is What It Is." In fact, this catch-phrase has such cultural cache that the acronym "IIwII" is enough to get the point across. If you doubt it's gone this far, do a quick Google search for "it is what it is" and you'll find a Chicago rock band, a smooth jazz album (from the band Impromp2), myriad MySpace pages, and opportunities to buy "It Is" t-shirts and totebags!

You may be wondering why this has me in such a lather. After all, "It is What It Is" seems like nothing more than a simple statement of the obvious. The fact of the matter is, well, a fact of the matter. But this seemingly innocuous phrase expresses an attitude of defiance, of resignation, of disengagement that is not just unhealthy, it's toxic. See what I mean. 

• Your favorite sports team loses the game? IIwII.
• Didn't get the award? the promotion? the raise? IIwII.
• You learn that you or a close friend or family member have a serious health problem? IIwII.
• The bank forcloses on your mortgage, leaving you financially devastated and homeless? IIwII.
• You're called to the boss's office to answer for a bad business decision you made? IIwII.
• Your spouse decides divorce is the answer to years of poor communication and dwindling intimacy? IIwII.

Depressing, right?

The real simple truth is "It Is What It Is" keeps us down, individually and collectively. It excuses us responsibility for our actions and outcomes, and prevents us from constructively responding to challenges we face.

To grow and develop, we must embrace and embody a different defiance. We must believe that "It Isn't What It Is." Rather, "It Is What We Make It." "It Is What We Make It" exposes new opportunities, inspires action, and encourages persistence. As individuals, families, and organizations, "It Is What We Make It" makes us bigger, better, bolder than we are. And that's what a slogan should do.

Followers can continue to live with "It Is What It Is." Leaders must live up to "It Is What We Make It."

Comments

[Louise Armstrong]

I had never heard of the term IIwII, but have spent a lot of time/thought on this very subject. You are talking about self determination vs. destiny, action vs. passivity, initiative vs. letting the chips fall where they may.
One version of this is que sera, sera. The Tennessee version is "what's good enough for ma and pa is good enough for me, and anyone who tries to do better is just uppity!"
As I have gotten older, I have gone from the idealistic view I had in my teens. It was that our lives were totally determined by our own actions. As I have seen traits in others and myself which are familial - not just appearance, but attitudes, personality traits, depression, etc.- I have modified my opinion a little. Now I think we are more programmed by genetics than we care to admit. But, it is still imperative that we live like we think we are fully in charge. Our lives are far more determined by our actions than by our circumstances. Passivity squelches progress, and leads to a sense of powerlessness.