Chase your windmill....

"Fortune," said Don Quixote to his squire, as soon as he had seen them, "is arranging matters for us better than we could have hoped." -- from Don Quixote, the early 17th century novel by Miguel de Cervantes

Most people know this scene almost intuitively. An old man, dressed as a knight, spurs his horse in a ridiculous charge against windmills he thinks are evil giants. And with that, the insane but lovable literary hero charged into our own minds as an example of someone who rages against the machine of modern life.

We know this to be true despite the unceremonious tumble of both literary hero and horse. But the boldness, the defiance of Don Quixote's act still stands today.

To be quixotic is to undertake an idealistic quest against great odds.

And what's wrong with that?

The thought, the mission, the passion for Don Quixote's charge sprang to life in Michigan recently. Two people, in different places and at different times have charged into the windmills of public conscience with what critics call their own quixotic actions.

The first is Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. Recently she embarked on a quest to encourage local manufacturing companies to switch from making parts for cars to making parts for windmills. You see, the domestic automotive industry and the jobs that it supports are disappearing. Meanwhile, the alternative energy industry and the jobs it supports are growing. In short, parts for windmills are selling, meanwhile parts for engines are not.

Now who could argue against getting out of a dying business and getting into a growing one? No one. Unless of course, that business is making windmills instead of cars in the birthplace of the automobile and the backyard of the energy giants.

Quixotic? Maybe so.

And what's wrong with that?

The second person is Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert. He announced recently that he would be moving his mortgage company headquarters and its 4,000 employees from suburban Livonia to Detroit.

Usually companies move from city to suburb not visa versa. So, you can imagine the cries of those expressing their fears about everything from higher personal taxes to crime to tax breaks for big companies. And let's not forget the big elephant in the room -- moving from mostly white Livonia to mostly black Detroit.

Quixotic? Maybe so.

And what's wrong with that?

Granholm has her windmills. Gilbert has his house. What will you have?

Will you be bold enough to go after your dream, even if doing so might seem a little...

Quixotic?

And what would be wrong with that?

Fortune could be arranging matters better than you had hoped.

So let's get moving. Your windmill is waiting.