The Good Life Movement - Our Beginning

Hi Friends,

This is Andrew Frawley with The Good Life Movement.

I want to welcome you to our mental health campaign and begin with a huge THANK YOU. Since our launch two weeks ago, the support has been astounding. We’ve had over 150+ people donate at an average of $25.06 with 300 more signing up to support.

I’ve worked on national campaigns for over half a decade now and have seen movements built up from nothing. I know what it takes.

I am thrilled to say that, for a nascent non-profit completely new on the scene, this is a tremendous beginning. From this kernel, we have more than enough to leverage our way into a bigger and bigger movement. Soon enough, we’ll have 10,000 individual donors and will be shaking up the status quo.

In my time building movements, I’ve had an incredibly intimate view of the importance of the first supporters.

The other night I was on a call with a friend. In a moment of passion, I said, “I’m blown away by the people showing up right now. They’re freakin’ pioneers. No one is donating right now because it’s cool, or because it’s convenient. They’re true believers in a cause with the courage the act first.”

I meant every word I said.

I’m reminded of one of my favorite TED Talks ever, “How to start a movement” by Derek Sivers. It’s the one of a man dancing alone at a concert. Many of you have likely seen it. Despite the title, the TED Talk is really an homage to the first supporters of a movement.

In the video, a man is seen dancing alone. It seems weird and socially risky. Soon enough, though, a second person joins.

“The first followers are an underestimated form of leadership in itself," Sivers says. "It takes guts to stand out like that. The first followers transform a lone nut into a leader.”

I wish Sivers had used less stigmatizing language, but the point is clear.

Sivers goes on, “Soon a third person joins and the new followers emulate not the leader … but other followers. As more people join in, it’s less risky. So those sitting on the fence have no reason not to join.”

The eloquence of this speech is beautiful. It emphasizes the role of the first supporters — not only do supporters make a movement a movement, but they ultimately define it.

I often tell people, “building a movement is very simple, but incredibly difficult.” Thanks to you all, we’ve already surpassed the most difficult threshold: finding "the second dancer.”

Our path from here is clear. For the next 5-6 months, I’ll be visiting podcasts, going to events, and further building out GLM’s relationships with other mental health activists. We need an army before we can truly impact legislation.

Our goal, in essence, is to recruit our “third and fourth dancers” who will shift this from a crowd to a movement that people feel urgent to join.

That’s the symbolism of our first 10,000 donors. We'll be a big enough group that it'll be “safe” enough for every supporter of mental health in America to jump in (which is 92% of America).

If we hit this tipping point, we could become the unifying, people-centered movement that this nation (world, really) needs so badly.

DONATE NOW

But, I can't do it without you all. If you’ve not donated, please consider doing so. It takes a lot of courage, but you’re in great company.

Andrew Frawley