5 Ways to Change the World
When I was little, I wanted to change the world, to do something great. I wanted to be like Mary, the mother of Jesus, with all of my heart.
How about you? Most people that I know have had similar aspirations… well, at least to do something great and make a huge impact on the world.
Things change as we grow up. We learn about how big the world really is and how deficient we are. I believed that my childhood circumstances precluded my being able to do anything truly good for many years. The abuse, neglect and constant demoralizing ensured that I would not even try.
That leads me to my first point, but before we start the list, I have to point out an important fact. Whether or not you share my faith in God, these strategies can stir that feeling again; the desire to conquer all fear and make a splash on the world stage, to change circumstances for starving children or bring clean water to whole villages, or impact the nations with justice.
1. Change your mind. When you think about changing the world, if you think about the, nearly seven billion people and the vast land masses and oceans to cross, it is utterly overwhelming. So, think about the world differently. Think about it in terms of concentric circles. You are the first circle in your world. Then, your family and to the next circle, your friends. The next circle might be classmates or coworkers, the people you see most days, but may not be close with. The next circle is the people in your community at church or the supermarket. Outside of that group would be the larger community of people you don’t know. That could be anywhere geographically.
2. Decide what change looks like. Do you want to increase the peace and joy of the people around you? Do you want to feed starving children? Do you want to bring justice to abused elderly? Would you like to rescue enslaved people? What makes your heart break? What travesty stirs your soul? Who could you add value to? Do you feel your blood boil when you see human rights trampled? Is there a problem that you could be the solution to, according to your particular gifts and talents.
3. Start in the first circle. You. Start with you. What can you do in yourself to begin the change? Develop a talent or a skill that you’ll need to make that big goal happen. Work on attitudes and meditate on goals that stretch your imagination. Memorize affirmations that improve your ability to improve specifically, the attributes you need most. If you are shy, an introvert or overly self conscious, boost your confidence with gentle reminders that people of little means have change the world. Mother Theresa changed the world for millions of people. The people she helped tangibly and the ones she inspired. Mahatma Gandhi changed the world too. James Robison changed the world for many whole villages in Africa by establishing feeding programs and drilling wells. Each of these people started small.
4. Share your vision. It may take years for you to develop the means and talents for others to catch on to your dream, but that shouldn’t stop you from keeping hope alive. I add a bit of caution here. Be aware of who you share the vision with. Everyone has detractors, but try to save yourself grief by not adding them too soon. As you began to develop talents for the change you want and you are actively thinking and motivating yourself on a daily basis, people of like mind will be drawn to you and wonder what you are up to. When they see you starting to change, some people will want you to share that change with them.
5. Multiply. In time, with intentional progress, change comes. We must realize that people just like us have changed the world for others. Our focus has to be outward. Our reason must be on our minds, in our mouths and before our every move. When that is the case, people notice. People see when you are consistent. Many people want to change the world. Some just need a leader to show them how. You can be that leader. Stay the course. Even when it seems like you’re plugging away with little progress, keep the reasons for your efforts on your mind and ready to share. When the change stays in your littlest circle, keep on keeping on. It may seem like you’re not reaching as far as you’d like, but remember the first concentric circle is you. If you have changed you for the better, you have changed the world for the people around you and those changes will impact the circle around them.
How would you like to change the world?