My brother introduced me to a new phrase when were talking a few months ago about Dutch Bros Coffee. Dutch Bros is a West Coast company that he described as “an overnight sensation thirty years in the making.”
I asked for clarification. My brother said that Dutch Bros is a darling of Wall Street since this went public at the end of 2021. But they’d been around, honing their product and business model for 30 years before that.
I’ve heard the term several more times since then. People, ideas, authors, companies who have been around for a decade or more when they are suddenly lifted into wider audience. It makes me think of all the quotes that remind us to redefine what success is and where it’s found:
“The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along.” – Rumi
“Do what you love and the money will follow.” – Marsha Sinetar
“Success is just a war of attrition. Sure, there’s an element of talent you should probably possess. But if you just stick around long enough, eventually something is going to happen.” – Dax Shephard
“Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before it.” – Madeleine L’Engle
“Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
In addition to just starting, we need to keep at it to get somewhere worth going. I like the idea that our overnight sensations are years in the making. Thank goodness there’s room and time to fix all the mistakes we make as we learn, whether it be in love, parenting, work, or any other pursuit we are leaving our imprint.
Holding space for us all to be the overnight sensations <fill in the blank> years in the making — in whatever way we hold most valuable.
I’ve posted a related post on my personal blog: Good Mood of the Soul
My other projects include hosting a podcast that features inspirational creatives and being part of a team with Dr. Vicki Atkinson that teaches/speaks about corporate creativity.
My book about my journey to find what fueled my dad’s indelible spark and twinkle can be found on Amazon: Finding My Father’s Faith.
You can find me on Instagram and Twitter @wynneleon
(featured photo from Pexels)