There’s a TED talk titled “How to Start a Movement” that I was introduced to recently.
In it, a man is shirtless and dancing in front of a crowd. At this point, he is a “lone nut” – a crazy person dancing alone. If no one joins him he remains a nut. But, he’s doing something fun, something cool – something different, so another person does join in. Now there are two crazy people dancing, but because they are together it has made them less nutty, and has lowered the risk for anyone else who wants to join.
This starts the “early adapters” curve, and many people rush to be the first to form the movement, and soon the movement is the norm. Everyone is dancing and having a great time, and the first man has become a leader BECAUSE the second person chose to follow the lone nut.
The video ends with the speaker saying, “…when you find a lone nut doing something great, have the guts to be the first one to stand up and join in…”
There are some lone nuts in the city of Cabot, Arkansas right now doing great things. Get up and join them.
See the full three minute talk here: