Success

We are all probably familiar with the “snowball effect.” A tiny ball of snow rolling downhill picks up more snow as it progresses and finishes strong at the bottom of the hill as an avalanche. With people, it most often needs a bit more help than just the assist provided by gravity, but the general principle works well.

The problem is that many people believe in the power of the big and powerful—the power of a large storm rather than the endless small trickle of the stream. It’s so alluring. That big storm whips through and clears everything before it while the stream trickles and only slowly creates change. I’d argue that, most often, people need slow change over rapid. We can take our time seeing the landscape change; we are in control of our destiny and can put it in channels, adapt to it, and decide how we feel about it.

In contrast, the storm whipping through may bring refreshing chaos, but it requires the skills of a stuntman to survive. What’s left behind is a stripped landscape that has removed our old obstacles and much of what we wanted to preserve.

It’s essential not to deride the strength of the trickling stream. Over time, it changes landscapes and alters life. After nine previous attempts, I stopped smoking. All the previous attempts had been gradual buildups for the real deal. Just because you fail initially at something doesn’t mean you can’t build resources that eventually help you succeed. 

Take advantage of failure if it’s in the service of eventual success. Success can be built upon our gradual efforts. Refrain from relying on the storm.

Daily writing prompt

What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?

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