The Flywheel Effect. It comes from Jim Collins in Good to Great:
In building a great company or social sector enterprise, there is no single defining action, no grand program, no one killer innovation, no solitary lucky break, no miracle moment. Rather, the process resembles relentlessly pushing a giant, heavy flywheel, turn upon turn, building momentum until a point of breakthrough, and beyond. (source)
And yet… how many of us are waiting for our One Big Break? (Picture me raising my hand.)
So, two things:
There’s no such thing as a big break
People’s success might seem like a big break, but that’s because you only see the big news splash. You don’t see the endless auditions, rejection letters, low download numbers, low attendance, and more.
Why do we buy into this fantasy? Why are we fixated outcomes and recognition, and how does that fixation impact us?
When I buy into the fantasy of the big break, it swerves my focus from process to results. It distracts me from enjoying, appreciating, and feeling the work. Instead, the work is just a means to an end. And when my big break doesn’t come, I’m disappointed. I think to myself, that was a waste of time. I did something wrong. It didn’t work.
Make something exciting happen
Success (whatever that means) comes from momentum. You do the work and do the work and try and experiment, gathering momentum as you go. Until the tipping point, when your momentum continues from its own inertia, and you don’t have to push as hard on the flywheel.
What if you want the flywheel effect to happen, like, RIGHT NOW? What can you do?
“When in doubt, make something exciting happen.”
These words come from Eleanor Beaton, my entrepreneurial muse. Want to attract notice and attention for your business? Host an event. Present new research. Create a platform. Apply for an award. Build relationships with editors, and pitch your story.
Making something exciting happen takes a lot of work. And work, remember, doesn’t guarantee a “big break tipping point” outcome. The work is a means in itself.
But you CAN make something exciting happen. It might be daunting and scary, but it puts the action back on you. You’re not waiting for your break big. You’re making it happen.
This post is part of my 100 Blog Posts in 100 Days series. View the rest here.
