A Seth Godin post I thought was relevant

[Annette McKinnon]

Patients as the new wave!!

Synchronization can be distracting

Both The Shawshank Redemption and The Big Lebowski bombed. If “bombed” means that during the first few weeks, no one went to a theater to see them. Since then, tens of millions of people have seen and talked about these movies.

Tommy James’ first record also failed, because no one played it on the radio for months. And then, one party promoter in Pennsylvania started playing it a lot, and it became a hit. He went on to make seven top 10 hits.

We are primed to pay attention to things that happen in a thunderclap. 

But the events that change our culture often happen over time, distributed across parts of the population too small to notice.

The Grateful Dead were the #1 live touring band more years than any other… and yet they only had one top 40 hit. Connection was worth more than wide and shallow sync.

The first challenge is finding the focus and patience to work on the asynchronized adoption of important ideas. And the second is to not sacrifice the larger goal in a frenzied hustle for the big break.

Drip by drip makes a wave.

[Carolyn Canfield]

Thanks, Annette. So much of what we do is carried by our act of doing, the effect of having a patient in the room. So even when we aren't sure anyone has heard our ideas or understands the change we'd like to see, we are contributing to culture change simply by participating. That WILL change minds. It's a version of the oft-quoted Maya Angelou insight: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."  So don't be looking for any thunderclap. Our power is in persuading people in healthcare that working alongside patients and caregivers is intrinsic to effective healthcare improvement, research excellence, competent professional training, legitimate priority setting and so much more. Thanks to everyone reading this for how you are making care better by staying active and hopeful. Yes, our influence is happening. It's just that we may not be able to see it. We have impact, yes we do.

[Susan Rich]

Wonderfully said Carolyn.  Of late I have felt how slowly things progress... and then I bring to mind a small Grook (poem) I came across many many years ago by Danish poet Peit Hein:

[Ron Beleno]

Thanks for this Annette.<br><br>There are many great analogies that help with this... especially when it comes to timing and how long some things take before an obvious result or change is noticed.<br><br>One that I use a lot with researchers, innovators, patients, and other stakeholders is gardening or growing plants.<br><br>Sometimes the skill and action first are to plant the seeds.<br>Where you plant and how you plant it does matter (just like which tables do patient voices sit at or present at)<br>Then you have to water it and help support its growth, whether with fertilizer, more light and sun, netting from the unwanted bugs and birds, etc.<br>And one day with some work and possibly some luck, it will come to fruition and then you can harvest.<br><br>Many days we forget that all we need to do is simply water, add fertilizer and nutrients every so often, and allow time for the plant to grow. I can't force a tomato plant to flower and pop out a tomato in 1-week... but I can nurture it to have the highest chance of success.<br><br>Many days, we just need to keep chopping wood until we need it or when others need it.<br><br>Thanks again Annette for this.