Whenever two or more people come together with a shared purpose, they form a culture with its own written and unwritten rules for behavior. Our families, workplaces and communities all have cultures. These cultures have a tremendous, though rarely recognized, impact upon our behavior as individuals.
Each cultural environment provides a unique set of standards to which we must adapt. Our behavioral patterns change dramatically from cultural context to cultural context. For example, on the job we are expected to behave in accordance with certain social standards. Expectations about behaviors at work usually differ from what is expected of us in our kitchens and in our bedrooms.
We may choose not to behave in accordance with our cultures, but if we choose not to go along, we must be prepared for ongoing consequences. When we select goals for ourselves that violate the culture, we must either change the culture or endure a never-ending struggle.
Changes initiated in unsupportive cultural environments tend to last less than one year. In contrast, changes that are supported by the culture are likely to stick. In addition, both the desire to attempt change and the likelihood of long-term success are positively related to cultural support.
In order to achieve sustained results, goals must be linked with the creation of more supportive cultural contexts. This is true whether our goal is to exercise regularly, to increase organizational productivity, or to reduce drunk driving. The culture influences our choices and determines the effectiveness of our individual initiatives. Almost invariably, the long-term individual solution must also be a cultural solution. This fundamental understanding is expressed in a simple equation:
LASTING SUCCESS = INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE + CULTURAL SUPPORT
Individual initiative is a necessary ingredient to successful change. In order to achieve sustained results, some of this individual initiative must be channeled into building more supportive cultural environments. To achieve long-term success, the good ideas and hard work of individuals must be linked to cultural norms, values and support systems.
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