How To Break a Camel’s Back

We all know the famous adage: “The straw that broke the camel’s back.” What it translates to is a seemingly small action that pushes something past a reactive threshold. It is the difference between 32º and 33º where the water goes from frozen to liquid.

Today we are not going to talk about the final straw. We are going to focus on the straws underneath it. The straws which did not break the camel’s back. The thing about straws is that they are very light. Each individual straw on its own is basically worthless. If one straw falls off who is going to notice? Straws gain more value the more straws you accumulate.

Let’s use an example.

Say you run a cookie company that sells in stores around your town. Each day you or your associate sets up a small table outside the stores you sell at and pass out samples of your delicious chocolate cookies. They are a hit. Your customers love them. Now each individual sample you give, on its own, is not going to make your brand a success. But, let’s say you do this every day for 2 weeks, 2 months, or 6 months. Over time the total number of samples given and new customers who are now regular consumers will be substantial. If you have a good product that people like you will have some impressive sales on your hands. You wouldn’t be able to trace it back to one individual sample you gave that made you a “success.” It was the hundreds if not thousands of samples you’ve distributed that got you there.

At the moment it is tough to recognize. When you are giving the sample all you see is a worthless straw. But, the straw is valuable. It is easy to write it off as pointless, but straws add up.

Why did one straw break the camel's back? Here's the secret

The million other straws underneath it

- Mos Def