How to Become a Change Maker
“The one single factor that determines society’s success is the percentage of change-makers within it.”
– Bill Drayton, US Social Entrepreneur
Living as part of a family, community, and society trains our sensitivity to see problems around us more clearly. If we look outside, there are many non-ideal conditions around us, from violence, social inequality, poverty, war, hunger, environmental damage, animal abuse, and more. As a part of global society, these conditions often make us unable to calmly sit down without doing anything.
The global Covid-19 pandemic also encourages people to collectively contribute in terms of helping others who are affected by the pandemic. The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) produced its 10th annual survey to the market in 2020, stating that the goals of investing are no longer only to get financial returns, but also to prioritize positive measurable social impact.
It also triggers startups, companies, communities, and individuals to start thinking about becoming a change makers that would give good influence to their surroundings.
“Becoming a change maker” sounds like a heavy task. But in fact, becoming a change maker can be started from simple things. We can also do it from the smallest circle in our lives.
Here are some guides you can follow!
Know Your Worth for The World
Everyone is living with different talents and calling. Things to note are: everyone must have lived on earth with reason and worth. Before taking an action, try to ask yourself first about these three things:
- what you are passionate about,
- what issues/areas you are concerned about the most, and
- how you can help them to get better
By knowing yourself and your worth, you will be knowing your place and your purpose for contributing to a better world. It can be something specific like being concerned about mental health, especially those who suffered from bipolar, or you are the one who owns a dog and is mad about pet abuse. It can also be more general like concerning global warming, food waste management, etc.
The more you explore it, the more you know in which part you should involve. Find out more about yourself and get ready for the changes you will make!
Share Your Concern with Others
Many campaigns, communities, and NGOs started with a group of friends who had a common interest in an issue. Doing something collectively will be less burdensome, compared to when you are doing it all alone.
Sharing your concern with others also helps to validate the idea and arrange a mission plan. With a group of people joining a cause, it will also drive more impact and mobilize more people.
Start Now, Don’t Wait
Dreams will always be dreams if you don’t take your step to achieve them. Also, a movement will not change anything if you don’t even move.
Taking the first step will be the hardest part, but once you overcome it, it will create a big change. In the book “Start with Why”, Simon Sinek shared a popular quote “Dream big, start small. But most of all, start.”.
Erika Andersen, a business thinker, and author, once shared tips on Forbes on “How To Start Doing The Things You Say You Want To Do”, which are:
- Imagine the benefit: how impactful it is for people; if it gets bigger, imagining many stakeholders will take part too for the cause, etc.
- Envision having them: manifesting it to your heart and mind.
Breakdown Your Plan
Once you’re sure you’re going to make a change, start setting simple goals and be committed to it. Setting targets and action plans can help you achieve these goals. Start with short-term and long-term goals that you want to achieve.
By planning, you will be moved more effectively and efficiently. Planning will also help you to create a priority scale, set the agenda or timeline, calculate the cost, and evaluate the progress. If you already have a team, share your action plan and discuss it with your teammates.
Be Patience, Be Consistent
“No matter how great the talent or effort, something just takes time”
– Warren Buffet, an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist.
Changes are not things you can gain overnight. Changes happen through some processes, patience, and consistency. For example, when you have a concern for the environment. You manifest it through planting a tree in your garden. To grow a tree, requires water, pest treatment, and fertilizer. You also need to take care of it every single day.
It is the same as making any other changes. A change maker requires persistence and optimism. As we continue to be consistent, we will see the fruit of the change little by little.
Surround Yourself with Supportive Environment
Consistency and passion to become a change maker must be maintained. Because basically being a change maker is a long journey and sometimes full of struggles. Finding a community and network that helps you to grow is very important.
Networking with people who are experts in their field will boost your inner motivation. You can also learn from their skill sets and knowledge, as networking will offer you wider opportunities and chances to collaborate with people with a common interest.
In UPDEED, you will find a hundred stories from people who do a good cause for the world. They are also change-makers who started from a small initiative in their circle. Right now, their stories become inspirations for many people to start taking action.
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