This morning, a client asked me a question I get often as a life coach:
“I went into business to change the world, how do I do that?”
Most of us think, we are not changing ‘the world’ because we don’t go sit in front of a building, throw rocks at the police or discover a new vaccine.
My answer is always the same,
you don’t want to change THE world, you want to change YOUR world.
Changing our world
One of the biggest illusion we hold when we start a company is that it will change THE world.
It’s an illusion because it is impossible to change something which is undefined.
What is this world you have in mind?
Start by defining that world, where is it exactly? Your family, your relationship, your neighborhood, your office, your state?
Once you have a good idea which world you want to change, let’s get started.
Running away from change
I know some expat business owners who decided to change their location. This is the easiest way to think you changed your world.
Sure the scenery is different, you might have sold everything you own, become a minimalist but there is one thing you will always take with you, everywhere you go.
YOU.
How to change your world
This is the tough part.
If you want to change your world, you need to change yourself.
This is why most business owners fail to change ‘the world’.
They had a look at the amount of work needed to change their world and decided it wasn’t for them.
Why not?
They will blame a lack of resources, not enough time, money, education, support network, etc…
The only way to change your world is to change your mindset stop blaming a lack of resources. Become resourceful.
How are you changing YOUR world?
Hi I'm a coach who believes life is an adventure, and entrepreneurs need to cultivate an adventure mindset to succeed.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I am changing myself first of all. Looking back at the Jimmy 5 years ago, I could hardly recognize myself. The drinking is gone, the partying is gone, the reckless drive is gone. In it’s place is responsibility, dreams for the future and possibility thinking.
Changing the world does not happen by changing others. Because we cannot change people, but only people can change themselves.
Change comes in small steps, but the effects are invisible and exponential in the universe.
Changing the world does not happy by changing others
That is exactly what it took me a whole post to say. Thank you for summarizing my entire post in one sentence Jimmy, you have a great skill there my friend.
I’m looking forward to see the change on your site
Hi John,
Back in 1997, I thought that moving from New Jersey to Florida would fix my problems. It only made a bad situation worse. I nearly got killed by a crazy abusive man, and was lucky to get out with my life.
Change has to come from inside. Wherever I am I bring me with me. I bring my perspective on things, but I do also bring my baggage and my nonsense. Doing a “geographical cure” does nothing to address my problems.
What am I doing? I am right now rethinking the job I took in New York. I think it is too much money out and not enough in. This means I have to work even harder to get past that fear of success and just move forward.
You are such an inspiration John. Thank you for the reminder of what is truly important.
We inspired each other in this world Nancy, that’s the great thing about relationships (on or offline) with the right intention there is always a lot of beauty in sharing.
Sooth.
Funny how well we see the past compared to the present and the future. We can look back and say, “I don’t want to do THAT again,” but will we see “THAT” coming around the next corner in time to avoid it? And how do we prevent “THAT” from ever happening again?
Even the most grounded among us would-be world-changers struggle with that vision of the future. It’s in our nature. Changing the world begins with changing our own worlds, but those blessed with the ever-changing vision will find it hard to ever nail down specific, MyWorld-changing objectives for long.
And I think that’s awesome.
Brian, you always know how to take this a step further.
Myworld changing objectives keep evolving as I do
Knowing how to take things a step further is one thing, actually making those next steps in the analog world is something else entirely.
Incremental OODA.
Love this John. Reminds me of my very first ppt and very first slide, it read;
CHANGE may start with the letter “C” but real Change begins with ME.
It all starts with me, John. Thanks for stating the difference between THE World and YOUR World. Great job. Again.
And one of my favorites of all time. Ghandi’s famous quote;
“Be the Change you want to see in the world”
Love it. Take CARE.
Al
Ghandi was a great man and he certainly understood that a people only get the leader they deserve
I’m going to start sounding like a broken record because I’m sharing the most recent experience over and over again! But…on the morning of the third day of sitting all wrapped up in blankets to ward off cold due to power outages, I got up and got moving. It was sooo cold and it seemed like an eternity waiting for something to happen! When I mentally kicked myself out of that chair, put some boots on and learned how to use a borrowed chain saw from a neighbor to cut down the limbs scattered everywhere, I started to feel better. Sitting , looking, thinking , and waiting can destroy a person. Doing ANYTHING is good for your mind set, even if you think it’ll only get you a little closer to your goal.
I remember being in the dance studio at 5:30 am in high school in the bitter cold. Everyone sat wrapped up on the floor, waiting for the teacher to turn the heat on. When she came in she was so mad! She said,”Get up and move! You’d be warm and ready to dance!” We’d never thought of that.We thought we were justified complaining. But she was right. You have to play the hand you’ve been dealt.
This is simply an awesome story and really illustrates how changing ourselves changes our world.
Suddenly the room isn’t cold anymore !
We have to change ourselves to change the world, and this story Betsy is simply the perfect metaphor for it.
Thank you Betsy for sharing this story, you always bring so much depth to the comments here
“you don’t want to change THE world, you want to change YOUR world” Love, love love that distinction!
I think people often put that heavy burden on them selves and don’t realize that if they just start of with themselves and one other person, they are made a difference.
Awesome article John. I hope YOU realize that you are making ripples in the world and making a huge difference in other people’s worlds.
Hugs.
Thanks Michele
You are so right if they just start with themselves and one other person
Any movement started with one person, and then another.
Apple started with 2 guys in a garage.
Thank you for your kind words Michele, coming from you they mean a lot to me
“I want to make a difference” is what I often here. They confuse making a difference and changing the world with giving their work meaning.
It’s definitely a huge stumbling block, sometimes it’s a huge wall to getting started.
Great advice that you need to change YOUR world, starting with YOU.
Before we even try to change others right?
Something I need to remind myself, often
Amen, brother.
Al