It takes significant energy to choose your own way, to lead rather than follow.

Today there are leaders in almost every subject matter, we often refer to them as “influencers.”  But influence didn’t start with social media, it just was intensely amplified.  

Leaders are sought after and looked up to in our society based on their perceived expertise.  But leadership isn’t rocket science.  You can lead and start your own movement by combining your deep beliefs with effective communication and habitual actions, I call this the Architecture of a Movement.

Movements start when someone is willing to step up and lead, to care enough to become the champion of the movement.

From there you need followers. People who believe what you believe. The majority of the population love to follow, so there are always people available and interested in joining.  You just need to find your people.  It’s simple to understand, just evolve “product:market fit” to “person:movement fit.”

Next, you need a method of communication. This is how you get your messages to your followers, it could be a weekly sermon or monthly newsletter.  But it has to combine communication, cadence, and storytelling.  When people listen and engage with your communications regularly they become your followers. For instance if you watch the New England Patriots play football every Sunday you can safely say you’re a Patriots fan.  And when you share the stories of the Brady and Belichick Super Bowl victories you are reinforcing your mythology.  Stories are what enable your movement to go viral, to grow without you being present.  

From there you need a shared interest, a change you are trying to make.  Something you and your followers believe that others don’t. A shift you are trying to make happen in the world. Your followers have to be following you somewhere, it could be to the whitehouse, a happier life, or the promised land, but your movement has to be moving toward a future state.

For example – if you believe abortion should be a women’s right to choose. Your movement would be made up of people who believe the same and want to do everything they can to make sure the laws protect women.  The purpose is to protect women and either maintain or change the law.  That belief, goal, and the related emotions are the catalyst for communications, collaboration, and gathering.

Finally you must create shared rituals and identifiers.  

Every time a new Apple product is released there is a big event, aka a shared ritual, it is quite similar to a religious holiday or the NBA finals.  They happen every year and are a reason for followers to gather.  What a great feeling it is to gather for a shared ritual – for instance Sunday dinner with your family – there is the warmth of connection, the sharing of ideals, and the reinforcement of beliefs.  It is easier to believe in g-d when you go to church on Sunday and see other people believing.

At the Apple event everyone watches on their Macbooks emblazoned with the Apple Logo, similarly to how Swifties wear beaded bracelets. These are your tribal identifiers, they say “I am with the Apple movement.” If you carry an iPhone and use a Macbook – Tim Cook is your fearless leader and you probably know the mythology of Steve Jobs and the prophets Wozniack and Ive.  Ever get given your company’s merch?  Now you know why.

When all of the above elements are present, repetition and consistency over time are what truly make a movement flourish.  No movement goes anywhere without persistence and perseverance – you must spread the gospel.  As Arthur Shopenhauer so eloquently explained, “All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed; second, it is violently opposed; and third, it is accepted as self-evident.”  Replace truth with movement – the rest is self explanatory. You will be ridiculed, you will be violently opposed, and eventually if you don’t give up, everyone will say your idea was theirs or painfully obvious.  The first campaign rally of any presidential candidate is nowhere near as robust as 10th, 50th, or 100th.  

Great movements take time.  Great leaders are disciplined and persistent.  Great brands show up again and again, year after year.

The key to building your movement and becoming a leader is to choose something you believe in and show up everyday to fight for that belief.  The reason there are more failed companies than successes is because showing up day after day is difficult.

There are only a few things you care enough about, not to be swayed. To choose your own way.  

These are the things that make you, you.  And that is where your movement begins.