Harnessing the ripple effect
How small changes build up over time ...
Gary Bloomer | SHAKING THE TREE # 231
One small act now can have major ramifications later.
If you’re afraid to start a blog, or to get yourself on video, or to record a podcast for fear of looking silly, do it anyway.
No one needs to see your initial attempts.
Spend time getting comfortable in the medium, whatever that is for you.
Success is never just about you alone.
Every action, every breakthrough, every small failure, win, and change—for better or worse—sends out ripples of connection, whether you see them or believe in them or not.
Similarly, success is never a simple, solitary effort with just one person battling the odds, traveling in a straight line from initial effort to to final reward.
Real success is fractal.
It starts with you, then it touches your family and your friends, your community, and eventually, the world at large in ways you’ll never fully measure.
The physics of influence
Think of the last time someone’s genuine enthusiasm lifted your mood.
Or when a mentor’s advice shifted your trajectory.
That’s the ripple effect in motion—that’s the impact of positive energy transferred and momentum shared.
Now flip it: your discipline, your courage, your willingness to push boundaries doesn’t just benefit you. It gives others permission to do the same. Your example inspires someone else. Your progress gives someone else the courage to take a chance.
A friend sees you quit a toxic job and finally updates their résumé.
A stranger reads your words and starts their own project.
Your kid watches you take creative risks and grows up being less afraid of failure.
Small waves, big impact
You don’t need a platform to start the ripple.
Consistency is contagious. Showing up, even quietly, proves what’s possible.
Vulnerability disarms. Admitting struggles makes space for others to breathe.
Generosity multiplies. Sharing knowledge or credit creates tides, not puddles.
I’ve seen this in my own life.
The projects you hesitated to launch became someone else’s “If they can do it, so can I!” moment. The offhand advice you gave a colleague years ago resurfaces in their mentorship of another. None of this was your doing—it was the ripple effect doing its work.
The responsibility of winning
Here’s the catch: Ripples aren’t always positive. Complacency, cynicism, and fear spread just as easily. That’s why personal success isn’t selfish—it’s a silent stewardship. Every time you choose courage over comfort, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want to live in.
Make waves on purpose
Stop asking, “How can I succeed?” and instead, start asking:
“Who’s watching?”
“What will this make easier for those behind me?”
“How can I widen the circle?”
Your success was never meant to be a trophy on a shelf.
It’s a stone hurled into water. Throw it far.
As always, thanks for reading.
—Gary
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Next time on Shaking the Tree: Look for long term rewards
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Originally from the U.K., Gary Bloomer is a writer, branding advocate, marketing specialist, and an award-winning graphic designer.
His design work has been included in Creative Review (one of the UK’s largest design magazines). Since 2009, he has answered over 5,000 marketing and business questions in the Know-How Exchange of MarketingProfs.com, placing him among the top 3% of contributors. He lives in Wilmington, Delaware, USA.