Strolling down a sidewalk in Ghent, Belgium, Craig offers an alternative to the philosophy of “Go Big or Go Home.” Sometimes that’s not what’s needed to make the biggest impact.
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Here’s what Craig says in the video
Hi everybody! Hey, it’s Craig Freshley here.
I’m on vacation (in Ghent, Belgium!) but I’m always thinking about group dynamics and today I’m thinking about this phrase, “Go big or go home.” I think that’s a false choice. For one thing, when you “go big”, very rarely does a single large heroic act have a lasting impact. And if it does, it’s because hundreds of thousands of little things have been building up to that big thing. Usually, when you try to “go big,” nothing happens, and if you “go home,” nothing happens.
I think there’s a middle ground, and that is “do lots of little things, close to home.”
I’m talking about, you know, if you’re in a group you can raise your hand and make a comment, fill out an evaluation form, bring your own mugs to save on new materials, smile at people…make lots of little actions in the direction that you want big things to happen. Small victories build on each other and lead to big victories. Success breeds success. Sometimes we are overwhelmed and think that if we can’t do the big thing, we might as well do nothing. That usually results in nothing happening. But if we do a little thing, it’s a success, and another little thing then another little thing… Actually that’s how nature works: hundreds of thousands of millions of little things adding up to great things.
So rather than “go big or go home”, go out there and do lots of little things right around home.
I hope this helps you help your group make good decisions.
Thanks for listening.
