“The things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling.” Fabienne Fredrickson
Think of Greta Thurnberg’s actions that have made her a worldwide media focus. She isn’t special – she’s just a 16-year-old school girl. There is nothing she has done that really sets her apart from the other 7.7 billion people on the planet today, except, she saw something she didn’t like and decided to do something about it – she gained a purpose and acted upon it. She didn’t find a reason not to do it as most people sadly do, she just decided she would and went ahead, driven by purpose. Whether she could was irrelevant – she did it anyway, and succeeded spectacularly in getting attention for her purpose. I refer to this as having an ‘Internal Locus of Control’ (see earlier post How people think about the future 1 – how beliefs form actions, or non-actions!). Fear is what prevents most people from following their purpose. (Purpose: definition noun – the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists (Synonyms – motive, motivation, grounds, cause, impetus, occasion, reason, point, basis, justification) or Verb – have as one’s intention or objective.) Many people do not want to undergo the barrage of negative twittering, etc., that Greta has undergone, but being one of the few that has bothered to act, it comes with the territory and she obviously isn’t afraid of bullies that pick on individuals. She is not alone in what she is doing. Leaders and entrepreneurs of all kinds have risen out of obscurity by simply acting on their purpose. If the bulk of us do this, then who will be bullies focus upon?
When you look at the number of activists around the world that are making a difference in talking out against injustice and trying to change the system it is humbling. They do so because they see this as a purpose that is bigger than them. I was at a talk a few months ago where a young man (Chad Pregracke) saw how the extent of pollution in the Mississippi River and decided single handedly to do something about it. He inspired others to join him and from there created the non-profit ‘Living Lands & Waters.’ The stories are endless and they range from those like Greta Thurnberg who talks to the UN to simple people living in the Amazon Forest saving a few square miles of being mined. These people are news because they are empowered to act (Internal Locus of Control) following a purpose that drives them forward.
In a previous post (Imagination, Creativity, and Change 2 – reframing society 2)I ask, are you aware of “What is your true purpose?” Since you are on my blog reading this, I have to assume you want a sustainable world. What do you tell people about? What gets your riled up? What is your passion? For some people their ‘calling’ is a simple as being the best teacher they can be. They don’t want to march or create big change, but they want to make a difference in children’s lives by teaching them things of importance, how to think, and how to live a better life. We all don’t have to be bug names that change the world, but if we all take a piece of the big jigsaw puzzle and know the pig picture of what we want to build then it becomes easier and more likely to happen.
While only perhaps 5% of people can be thought of as having an Internal LOC on any issue, imagine what could happen if some of the near externals (as I call) them decide to make their voice be heard or their actions be seen and in turn inspire others to join them. If it isn’t the ‘powerful others’ that prevent you it might be the feelings of disempowerment that the mass media seen to instill in us to make us docile and apathetic. Don’t forget the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.“ That is one of the reasons I love the song ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon, it inspires me to dream that something better is out there for us all.
When I was in my twenties and thirties, I was quite complacent and shy and did little things for the environment preferring not to be noticed. One day I was asked by an academic friend to join the board of a local chapter of a national organization. That friend saw in me something I refused to see in myself. I nervously agreed and for three years it was a most enriching experience and for me one that sparked the confidence to do more. Another time I ran on the ballot for being the president of an international non-profit environmental organization (I might add that I was already on the board). I didn’t win (I was told that it was a very close vote), but that didn’t matter. What did matter was that I tried. I wasn’t worried with fear that I might fail, but empowered with the belief that I might succeed. If I could come from a shy quiet young man to one who was willing to run for an international non-profit officer position then you can too. Start small and go where your passion and purpose take you. Your only fear is of failing and how that might make you look. Once you get past that fear, the road is wide open for you to succeed in all manner of things.
I have joined a group of people that are all passionate in their goal to create total renewable energy in my region among many other drives they have. I enjoy working with them since it all fits within my purpose of creating a Sustainable world and they are an inspiring group. Sometimes all it takes is committing yourself to doing something, anything, no matter how small, that awakens the passion within you to do something more.
I started out this triplet of posts talking about Flow. I’ll end it now with the idea that once you following your passion, the work involved becomes almost fun. Flow kicks in and you come to relish the work as much as if it was a favorite hobby. You achieve lots and the effort seems almost effortless – so much so that you just want to keep doing it. What are your dreams for a sustainable world? What are you going to do about it? It doesn’t all have to happen now, but where will you start?
“Let it never be said that to dream is a waste of one’s time, for dreams are our realities in waiting. In dreams we plant the seeds of our future.” Anonymous
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