The butterfly effect is a term developed to describe the way an extremely small change can have a stupendous effect over time. The term came from the work of mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz. The example is given of the flapping of a butterfly’s wing having an influence on the formation and path of a tornado weeks later.

A Small Change Will Make a Big Difference

Making a small change in your life can have dazzling results.

Michael Mendelssohn in his book Your Greatest Power says, “Your day’s first moments are pure gold. What you do with them shapes everything that follows.” And he goes on to say, “Your morning mindset releases chemicals that fuel focus, energy, and creative problem-solving for up to 6 hours.”

This is very encouraging.

Pondering the power of the butterfly effect is inspirational. Every positive word we give to another person, every smile, every word spoken in gratitude can butterfly motion toward positive outcomes.

Need to Conquer a Big Challenge?

The Wizard of Ads teaches about the power of ELBs. Conquer a big challenge with the magical power of ELBs.

“ELBs are Exponential Little Bits, tiny but relentless changes that compound to make a miracle. The power of an ELB lies not in its size, but in its daily occurrence. For an ELB to work its Exponential magic, the Little Bit must happen every day… every day… every day.” Roy H. Williams, Monday Morning Memo October 27, 2002

ELBs are actions as small as butterflies that eventually move mountains.

Does the Butterfly Effect Make an Impact in Your Business?

Details matter.

Every small incremental thing you do will make an impact. The words you choose to talk about your business make an astronomical difference. Leah Bumphrey emphasizes that point in her book Midnight Musings of a Relational Marketing Mom says, “…when we market, every word counts.”

There can be a negative butterfly effect too. An employee is snarky to a customer and the customer gets mad and goes to social media…

But you can take a small positive step and address that negative comment directly on social media. Be real and apologize. Then bingo, the butterfly flies forward again and you are back on a positive path.

Can Our Attitude Make the Phone Ring?

Making changes in your message certainly can. Small changes make big results. Lots of small changes make off the chart results. Repetition is effective. Remember, repetition is effective. Repetition is…

Transactional ads focus on the price and ‘buy now’ message. Relational ads build relationship with the customer. Compare the butterfly effect of transactional ads vs the butterfly effect of relational ads in this quote from Roy H. Williams, “The longer you use transactional ads, the less well they work. The longer you use relational ads, the better they work.” July 3, 2023 Monday Morning Memo

Relational ads build relationship. Your customer begins to understand the reason you are in business, your values and what you hold important. They feel like you are a friend and can trust you. Roy H. Williams describes the effect of relational ads, “…speak to the emotions rather than facts. Win the heart, and the mind will follow. The intellect will always create logic to justify what the heart has already decided.“

Our Values are Not Small Things

Leah Bumphrey makes another strong point in her book when she states, “Why have the most beloved fairy tales endured for generations? Because they speak to timeless values, to the things that matter most to families and always will. When we market with this same mindset, we’re not just chasing after gold coins with the latest spin. We’re weaving ourselves into the fabric of family life, becoming part of their story.”

It’s Time to Take Action

Make a commitment to take small steps. Every day. Don’t wait for regret to smack you in the face. Do those ELBs every day. Inspiration comes from knowing the butterfly effect will make those daily ELBs move your mountain. But you need to grab a shovel.

  1. Ready to improve your time management?
    Take five minutes in the evening to determine the three most important tasks for the next day. Circle the most important one. That is the first one to tackle the next day. Do that every evening for at least thirty days. It will become your habit and you will have productive positive momentum.
  2. Haunted by a big project that is too intimidating to begin?
    Take five to ten minutes every day to work on it. Every day. After a few weeks, you’ll find it easier to spend more and more time on the project, and voila! It’s time to celebrate.
  3. Your pile of books to read is growing out of control?
    Figure out when you can spare fifteen minutes each day. Set a reminder with an alarm and read for that allotted time. Every day. It will soon be time to visit the bookstore or Amazon.
  4. Having a bad day happens too often?
    Schedule 5-10 minutes of ‘window time’ in the morning when you can relax, take a deep breath and let your mind wander. It’s a time to just focus on what is really important.

No matter what you need to accomplish, taking a walk every day on a forest path or along the beach or somewhere wild and wonderful will solve most things.

Doing your ELBs today and every day will reap rewards in the future. That’s the promise of the Butterfly Effect.

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