Warrior for a better world
Not so long ago, we howled with laughter at the beauty pageant finalist who declared that her dream was 'to change the world'. Hopefully, we are not laughing now.
The pandemic stopped us in our tracks, curtailed our lives of frantic activity and forced us into social exclusion, isolation, quarantine, and even facial coverings that dimmed our identity and individuality. We had time to think and reflect about what is right and wrong with our world and most of us realized that the old world was not fair or just, or equal. We now know that it must change. That we, ourselves, must change. So, if your dream now is not 'to change the world', then you are clearly not as smart as a beauty pageant finalist.
Behavioral psychology tells us that human beings do not generally like change. The greater the change; the stronger the resistance. Why? Because it moves us out of the familiar, out of our comfort zone. Even if we are not particularly smitten by our surroundings, once we have gotten used to our situation, we settle in and put up with it. Change requires energy and motivation. And both are in scarce supply when you are grappling with a rampaging virus in a pandemic in addition to economic anxiety and the emotional strain of lockdowns and quarantine.
Writing in the Financial Times newspaper a while back, Mark Carney, then UN's Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance, laid out a clear roadmap towards a 'new dawn for globalization.' Central to the plan was the concept of 'we', which, of course, is how it should be. No well-meaning individual can go it alone. Like it or not, we are all One. Calling for cohesion and solidarity on a global scale, Carney urged that: 'Rather than confuse independence with sovereignty, we must design a new form of international co-operation to serve the needs of the many, not the few.' Well said.
In conversation with friends and family, business clients and colleagues, I conclude that there is a lot of common ground on the topic of the future of humanity. Most people in my circle agree that the world is standing at an inflection point in history. What we do today, this week and the months up ahead will either bring us to a magnificent manifestation of our creative powers and the celebration of human dignity, or not. And the latter scenario is likely to involve the decimation of economies, large swaths of unemployment and a wave of mental health crises to mention just a few of the obvious ones. We cannot let that happen. There is just too much at stake.
However, the essential transformation of society will come at a price. There will be considerable upheaval - even a period of massive disruption. Can we face up to that? Can we muster up the energy and motivation to create a wonderful world, where creativity, solidarity and human dignity are at the centre and where developments in, for instance, artificial intelligence, support and enhance rather than threaten this?
Within the conundrum of needing energy and motivation to get to a happier place while running on overdrive just to survive, there is a potential solution that may, at first, seem counterintuitive. That is: begin by doing nothing.
Take a step back to take a giant leap forward
The first step towards creating a better, more inclusive, edifying world is to stop what we are currently doing, take a deep breath and just observe what is around us. Stop. Look. And Listen. Actively. Create a sense of awareness. A skillful archer draws back the bow slowly and deliberately to shoot the arrow in the desired direction at optimal velocity. The tension is essential.
When writing a film script, screenwriters are advised that: 'White on the page is your friend. Do not bludgeon the audience with dialogue and action. Let them feel the tension. That is how they become engaged in the unfolding drama.'
So, too, a pause to reflect is our friend. It allows us to feel the tension, release energy more productively and become more engaged.
Develop a compelling vision of a more wholesome society
Secondly, create a vision that as Mark Carney urged: 'serves the many, not the few.' This would need to be done on a local, regional, or optimally a national scale – to begin with – as circumstances – geopolitical, economic, and socio-cultural - differ around the world and the gaping chasm of inequality on so many fronts complicates the picture. However, the fact that it is challenging is not a good enough reason to avoid taking positive action now.
Celebrate early wins and share the 'how to'
Well-thought through small steps in the right direction will lead to early wins that make the change appear possible. Doable. Early wins will motivate us to carry on. Success will energize us, and our energy will inspire others. The Butterfly Effect will see to that. According to a definition in the Urban Dictionary, the ‘butterfly effect’ refers to the theory that even the smallest step a person takes in his or her life can change the course of that life immensely. The name of this concept came to be when Chaos Theory held that: ‘It has been said that something as small as the fluttering of a butterfly’s wings can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world.’ This intriguing picture indicates that our personal choices do not only impact our own lives but the lives of others – everywhere.
If we move forward positively, together, engaging with the change, we may even find ourselves enjoying the disruption – because it is advancing us towards our goal. The trick is to get going. There is power in the concept of Day One.
Read more about the what, the why and the how of an exciting new world in my book: 'Rebooting Humanity; a Call to Awareness'. Spoiler alert: There's a movie in the middle of the book.
Get the book via this link: https://b.link/6ke6wa
Set yourself up to succeed. Build your confidence and develop a winning attitude. Go to my practical - and fun - self-awareness course at:
https://www.isle-of-us.com/self-awarenesstoolbox and position yourself for the life of your dreams. The life you desire and deserve. Your future self will thank you.
'Excellent course. I highly recommend that people take advantage of this.' Fiona Ashe, Film and Video Director, Broadcast Journalist, Ireland.
'Brilliant down to the smallest detail. It was a pure pleasure to follow your presentations. From A to Z everything was highly professional.' Bruno Doenni, Switzerland.