What might happen if you're the first instead of the only

B.F. Goodrich is the first street tire, apparently, to pull a 1G turn.

I have no idea what that means or why it's important when considering a tire purchase.

I guess the people who know the value of a tire that can pull a 1G turn are the people B.F. Goodrich is trying to appeal to.

I do know that by claiming to be the first at this, B.F. Goodrich earned my respect, admiration, and curiosity.

Because they are telling me they are innovators and not monopolizers.

I would normally buy tires based on price and maybe how long they are supposed to last.

But all things being equal, I'd rather buy a tire from an innovative company.

There is a buzz that being first creates.  Something new has happened.

First tends to encourage others to try.

Only seems to say: you missed out again.

By claiming to be the first, B.F. Goodrich is clearly letting us know that this thing is so important that others will be striving to achieve this standard as well.  That's how important it is.  Don't you want to join them?

The next thing you know, B.F. Goodrich will probably be figuring out ways to help other organizations (maybe not Firestone, but..) and collaborative entities put this idea to good use in other fields of endeavor.  Then, they will really win me over and make me want to seek out their product and maybe even pay a little more for it.

The point is, we can fall into the trap of exclusive patent holder or we can be catalytic agents for positive life change.

We can go through our faith journey as gnostic brokers of salvation and information-is-power-ladder-climbers along the halls of religious goods and services purveyor-ship.

But probably we won't spark the imagination, creative force, and faith community loyalty that B.F. Goodrich has allowed me to discover.

To paraphrase the little poem from Edwin Markham:

Only drew a circle that shut me out...;  First drew a circle that took us in.