The sales assistant at the pop up boutique glowed. She enthusiastically pulled things one at a time from the rails to show to the customer.

“These pants will change your life,” she said.

I thought that was a huge claim to make about what seemed like an unremarkable pair of trousers, but when the woman emerged transformed from the fitting room I began to believe it might be true.

“I love how long my legs look in these,” she said. “They are so comfortable and I can dress them up or down, they will be the only pants I pack for my next overseas trip!”

She was already standing taller and looking more confident—(it works).
The change happened in minutes right before my eyes.

When a great designer sits down to sketch he is thinking about more than how the pieces of fabric will be joined together at the seams, or how many units he needs to shift next spring. A truly great designer is thinking about the way his designs will change how a woman feels about herself when she wears them.

It’s possible to change a moment in someone’s day with a well-fitting pair of pants, a raw brownie, an excellent cup of tea or lines of code that make that moment easier, richer and better. Changed moments have a way of tumbling into one another, like dominoes that fall as if by magic in a domino run. If you’re changing a moment, you’re changing a life.

We’ve gotten used to selling ourselves, and our work short (both to the world, but most importantly to ourselves). We’ve allowed ourselves to be defined by narrow job descriptions, and what we do to be reduced to rational benefits. You are more than your job title—a barista, programmer, baker, logo designer, manufacturer or CEO, responsible for making something that works.
You are a change maker.

Often the hard part is understanding and then articulating the change you want to make.
We don’t spend enough time answering this question before we begin.

What change are you making?