“Put a bag of cookies in the break room and it might sit for days. Open the bag and leave it out, and within an hour, all the cookies will be gone. We are happy to take a tiny slice off the thing that’s being shared, but we hesitate to open the bag.The same is true with all of the initiatives in our culture. Design, movements and ideas are all trapped, waiting to be opened, and then the rest of us will happily pile on. Open the bag.”
Seth Godin has an enviable way with words and if you don’t subscribe to his daily blog, I encourage you to do so.
Just as this applies to groups and organizations, I believe it also applies to individuals. What is it that stops us from getting in shape? From learning a new language? From saving money for retirement? Inertia stops us.
That unopened bag of cookies will remain unopened until someone takes action and like Seth says, once opened, it’s contents are soon gone.
Self improvement requires a first action be taken- signing up for a class, putting your running shoes on, beginning automatic contributions to your 401(k)- once that first action is taken, additional action often follows.
Change requires a champion. It needs someone to lead the initiative. In your life, that person is you. Open the bag. Get started.