Tag: changing the world

Take Action

The world has some challenges
right now.
There is at least one
major pandemic happening.
There’s climate change.
There are wars brewing.

This causes stress.
And stress isn’t good
for any of us.

I’m a doer.
Doers…well…
we do.

Taking action
relieves stress
for me.

It doesn’t have
to be big action.
I pick worms off pavement
and put them on the grass
after the rain.
I let my dandelions grow
and feed the bees.
I wear a mask
while in indoor public places.
I stay home
when I’m feeling ill.

I do little things.
But the important part
for me
and for my stress levels
is…
I DO things.

Take action
if you’re stressed
about the state
of the world.

The Cost Of Speaking Up

I spoke up
recently
about a disturbing trend
in the climate change community.

It had to be said.
And I suspect changes
WILL be made
due to my comments.

But I was immediately
cast out of the community.

I know how people are.
I knew when I spoke up,
I would be kicked out
of the group.

No one likes
to hear an uncomfortable truth.
We tell people
“Don’t kill the messenger”
but the messenger is ALWAYS punished
…eventually.

I felt standing up
for what was right
was worth it.

Know that if you point out
a wrong,
you likely WILL be
punished for bringing it
to other people’s attention.

Do it anyway
but prepare for the consequences.

Thanking Others

I spent the weekend
with two loved ones
– an older loved one
and the younger loved one
who voluntarily takes care of her.

The extremely bitter
older loved one
didn’t say thank you
to the younger loved one
at all,
not once
during the entire weekend.

I was shocked
by the lack of gratitude.
And I told her that.

She said
if she said thank you
every time
he did something for her,
she’d be saying thank you
all the time.

I told her
yes, that’s what
she SHOULD be doing.
If he takes the time
to help her,
she should at least
take the time
to say two words in return.

Saying thank you
does a number of things.

It makes the other person
feel appreciated.
That alone is worth
uttering those two words.

But it also reminds us
that the other person
didn’t have to take
that action.
They could have ignored us
and walked away.
That’s ALWAYS an option.

It builds gratitude
within us
and gratitude
is the key to happiness.

Yep, we often increase our own joy
by thanking others,
by uttering those two short words.

Say thank you..
for the other person
and for yourself.

If We Want Improvement

If I wanted simply to offset
the carbon I use,
I would fund the planting
of X trees per year.

But I know some people
won’t or can’t offset their carbon usage
and
I want the world to improve
so
I fund the planting
of at least 2X trees per year.

The standard tip
for housekeeping
when we stay in a hotel
is expected.
The employee factors
that into her earnings.

Doubling that standard tip
will change her life a bit.

Seth Godin
shares

“Whether it’s splitting a check,
getting a project done
or making an impact on the culture
or a cause,
if you want things to get better,
the only way is
to be prepared
to do more than your fair share.”

If we want the world
to improve,
we should do
MORE than is expected.

The Argument For No Change

Whether we’re starting a new business
or slowing climate change
or updating a book cover,
there will be someone
opposing us,
wanting no change at all.

Seth Godin
shares
“Once we agree that
we have a problem,
the status quo will show up.
It will argue
with every tool
it has that
any variation from the current path
is
too risky,
too expensive
and too painful
to consider.
The status quo will stall.
It will argue for studies
and will amplify the pain
that will be caused to some
as we try to make things better
for everyone.

And the status quo usually wins.
That’s because
the makers of change
are now playing defense,
forced to justify every choice
and ameliorate every inconvenience.”

Know that someone
will fight for no change.

Prepare for the tactics
they will use
to stop us.

Realize they will NEVER
be supportive of that change.

And push forward.

Criticizing The Messenger

One of the common ways
opponents try to block
change
is by criticizing the person
asking for that change.

You want to eliminate
homelessness, for example?

You’ll be criticized
if you live in a home.
Opponents will say
you’re the elite
and don’t understand the situation.

You’ll be criticized
if you rent your home.
Opponents will say
you’re taking away
a rental property
from someone who truly needs it.

You’ll be criticized
if you don’t have a home.
Opponents will say
you don’t understand the problem.

By criticizing you,
opponents shift the attention away
from the change
you’re seeking the world to make.
It’s deflection.

And it’s effective.
It dissuades people
from talking,
from pushing for change.

Don’t allow this
to stop you.

Push for the change
you want to see in the world.
You don’t have to be perfect
to make a difference.

When You’ve Suffered A Loss

Recently, I suffered
a financial loss.

I can recover from it.

But my immediate reaction
was to hoard,
to not spend my money
or my time or my skills
on anything or anyone.

That’s human nature.
We’re trying to stop
the losses.

But it is the exact opposite
of what we should do.
Because it makes us
feel stingy
and poor
and that isn’t conducive
to becoming successful.

Instead, I allocated an afternoon
and I picked up garbage
in my neighborhood.
As I filled bags,
I felt generous,
giving,
wealthy.

And then I went back
to working on my business.

If you suffer a loss,
yes, grieve that loss
but also give a little to the world,
whether that’s a dollar
to provide one meal via the food bank
or your skills at graphic design.

You’re rich.
Remind yourself of that.

Someone Should Earn Affiliate/Commission Income

Whenever I buy something
on a certain big bookseller’s site,
I navigate to the product through
a buddy’s affiliate link.

It doesn’t cost me anything
other than a couple minutes
and my buddy gains income
from it.

She earns enough from affiliate income
to allow her to write full time.
This has made a huge difference
in her life.

Before I buy anything at all
from any company,
I see whether or not
someone has an affiliate account
or could earn a commission
off the sale.

Yes, it helps out someone
in exchange
for a few moments of my time.

But it also builds relationships.
I give them sales.
They might, in the future,
return the favor
and send customers my way.

If you can,
give someone the commission
or affiliate income.

Praising Partners

Once a year,
I go through my list
of people I work closely with
and I send letters of praise
to anyone who has helped me
in any way
over the past year.

I do this for everyone
but this especially matters
for people
who work for an employer.

These letters are usually added
to their files
and can be used to negotiate
raises, promotions, title changes
and other incentives.
They could save the person’s job
and/or could change their lives
for the better.

I do this EVERY year.

I’ve been sending one person
letters of recognition
every year for over a decade.

And she has been using them
to negotiate better pay
every year for over a decade.

If you want to change
someone’s world for the better,
send them a letter of recognition
when they help you.

Focus On The Smallest Viable Target Group

I’m a big believer
in focusing on niches,
reaching out to small, passionate groups
of people/other entities.

That’s manageable for those of us
without deep marketing pockets.
It delivers faster results.
It is a base
we can build upon.

And it is easier
to change a small group’s collective mind
than a large group’s.

As Seth Godin
shares

“If you’re the kind
of person
who believes in
what’s all around us
(which is most of us),
then you won’t change
your beliefs
until the people around you
change as well.

That’s why
the smallest viable audience
is so important.
Focusing on a specific
group of people,
understanding their beliefs,
engaging with empathy,
creating new social norms
and then,
peer-to-peer,
spreading the new normal.”

Focus on a niche first,
then build out from there.