The technological advantages of the past two decades have provided us with the instantaneous availability of information. Instantaneous information may also create an expectation that everything else should happen just as quickly as the receipt of information.

There are few areas where this is more obvious than in our expectations regarding growth, either personally or organizationally.

We are understandably enamored by get rich quick stories and instant results. Many of these stories are actually animated by a transformational idea which is implemented over time. The process of implementation is incremental. You may have heard it said, “She is an overnight success, 25 years in the making.”

We believe that all sustainable growth is incremental. By applying small, intentional changes, consistently over time, desirable results will be achieved. In Andy Stanley’s, The Principle of the Path, he says, “Direction – not intention – determines our destination.” Many of us have heard of the example of a plane’s cross country trek. By moving the nose of a plane a few feet before take-off in Los Angeles, it will end up in Washington, D.C., instead of its original destination of New York City.

It can be frustrating when we don’t see results right away. Worthwhile change requires discipline, intentionality, grit, and perseverance. Remember the tortoise and the hare?

What incremental change are you going to make today that will have a significant, positive impact on you personally and organizationally?