Change - Issac Azimov - Even the smallest amount can make a difference

"The point is that any change greater than the minimal is chaotic."
from: Dors the Robot, Issac Azimov, Forward the Foundation

Disruptors. Change Agents. Change Makers. Those are some of the (dated) buzz words of business right now to describe things that profoundly affect society. They can be people, organizations, companies, or ideas that make a difference.

We think, many people think, that a big difference has to come from a big change. This is not the case. There is the reference to the 'butterfly effect' which is explained as a single wing beat of a single butterfly in China can cause catastrophic weather conditions on the other side of the world.

Not only is only small change necessary to make a big difference, there needs to be "luck." From the Scientific American article "The Role of Luck in Success is Far Greater Than We Realized":

"People with easy to pronounce names are judged more positively than those with difficult-to-pronounce names[.]"

This is not fair, but that is the game we have to play.

One thing is certain. Doing the same thing, meeting the same people, playing the same games, or consuming the same media will probably not make a change.

Get out there. Learn something new. Try something different. Succeed or fail. If you want a change in your circumstances, make a change. It doesn't have to be big, but it has to happen.

Gratitudes: Convenience stores, bank accounts, and cheap watches.

Comments

Don't trust a skinny cook - Vinne Vrotny - Teacher Hypocrisy

Adults want comfort, but expect students to go into [the] discomfort zone. Are we hypocrites? from Vinnie Vrotny - Blog post Multi-faceted Refractions I live with the thought that I am a hypocrite. I am a teacher almost every day I implore, cajole, push, and pull students to learn more about the immediate subject and themselves. And yet I feel guilty when I don't do the same thing. To find today's quote, I Googled "quotes teacher hypocrisy" and got no love. I got quotes from Don King, Malcom X, Alan Dershowitz (black pot) and others. But no listed, no famous quotes about teachers and hypocrisy. Then I Googled "teacher hypocrisy" and oh boy, were there hits!. Grass roots education ; Condor Voice ; I, Hypocrite Teache r; and today's quote were just a start. I realized that I am not alone. I must admit I also hate lazy teachers. They are robbing students' time. Teaching is a hard job, both emotionally and phy

We shape our buildings - Winston Churchill - Be in action

We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us. from: Winston Churchill, Painter , Political Survivor, Orator , and Nobel Prize for Literature Winner So much negativity in the world and in my thoughts. Originally, I was looking for a quote about the benefits of having positive thoughts. Sigh. There are many quotes like that out there, but the ones I found where either by celebrities or self-help gurus. Not that what they are saying is not useful, it is just I wanted elegant, powerful bon mots from a profound source. So, Churchill. I'd written down in my notes about this quote. It was made in a speech to rebuild the House of Commons after a bombing raid. I noted the quote because it agrees with my belief that architecture influences those who encounter it, whether for good or bad. But in this case, I am presenting it to my gentle readers as a metaphor. Like: "You reap what you sow," or "You've made your bed, so go lay in it."

Anger and Work - Toni Morrison - Tired of being angry

I get angry at things, then go on and work. from: Toni Morrison Author and Teacher Disclosure: I know little about Toni Morrison. Yes, I should read her writings. But I have my own writings to get out of my head. I found this quote because I have become tired of being angry. Maybe I should just scream myself into a coma, but I think I would still wake up anger. Screw the Serenity Prayer. Stuff admonitions of how anger is caused by fear. Stifle thoughts of turning the other cheek. Suffocate ideas of rising above. Smother the idea that this is not productive. But then, a sliver of sanity and the simplicity of Morrison's quote. As I have written before, I like to find the origin of quotes I use, and this one I found (unless this is photoshopped ) So, my two options are to keep my hand in the fire or to move into action. Since I am writing this, I have chosen movement. This entry can be considered the equivalent of picking myself up and brushing myself off.

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