In Start With Why, Simon Sinek talks about the Law of Diffusion, which explains how people react to something new. Those who are leading the way are called innovators, and they challenge the status quo and inspire people to think differently. The first people to jump on the bandwagon are called early adopters. Since they’re already aligned with the vision of the innovators, they’re naturally inclined to get involved. Once the early adopters have been involved for a while and shared their experiences, more people follow suit; they’re followed by another bunch that arrives late to the party. And finally, the “laggards” are the last to get involved, sometimes years after the bandwagon first rolled up. I have a lot of big goals in life, some of which require other people to get involved, so the Law of Diffusion has been very helpful as I’ve worked on creating a plan to make my ideas become a reality.
I primarily share my ideas on this blog, which anyone with an internet connection can read as long as they can find it. Some people aren’t interested in reading it, others display some casual interest, and a select few are extremely interested in many of the ideas that I find fascinating. I’ve learned from experience that it’s best to focus most of my time and energy on those who are already on the same page as me; I don’t to spend any time trying to convince them, and they’ll be more inclined than anyone else to help me put my plan into action. This is a much better approach than trying to persuade someone who is totally uninterested in what I have to say and will likely never want to get involved.
To create positive, lasting change, however, I don’t think it’s enough to just talk about my ideas. I think I have to live them out and show what they look like in action. That way, other people will know that I’m serious and they can look at my life to see if my ideas actually work. Also, trying all this stuff out for myself will show me what it takes to make it work and allow me to figure out solutions for the problems that pop up so that those who try this out later will have an easier time than I did. Some early adopters have already tried out and found success with several of the things I’ve discussed on my blog. According the Law of Diffusion, more people will follow suit as these ideas spread, and it’ll only be a matter of time before they’ve reached enough people to create some major changes.
As I continue trying things for myself to find out what works and sharing my findings with others, I get excited thinking about what the future holds. It feels like everything I’ve learned since last year is coming together into a solid, practical plan that’ll make life better for everyone who follows it. That plan is becoming more clear to me every day and I’ll share more of it in my next post. For now, I’ll close by saying that I’m glad to be doing many things that I once thought I’d never be able to do and I look forward to seeing the impact this has on my own life and on the world around me.