Imagine an old, heavy suitcase whose well-worn handles are hanging by a few threads. Thehandle is “Trust the Process” or “Story Is King”—a pithy statement that seems, on the face ofit, to stand for so much more. The suitcase represents all that has gone into the formation ofthe phrase: the experience, the deep wisdom, the truths that emerge from struggle. Too often,we grab the handle and—without realizing it—walk off without the suitcase. What’s more, wedon’t even think about what we’ve left behind. After all, the handle is so much easier to carryaround than the suitcase.
Ed Catmull analogizes the idea of pithy business statements and aphorisms as old, heavy suitcases and their handles. It's easy to grab onto the handle and walk of only with it, particularly when the weight and inconvenience of the suitcase and its actual contents are no longer attached. One needs to make sure that their comfortable old suitcase handle is still attached to the case and the valuable, hard-won wisdom of the contents inside.