JKLTip Are you pushing beyond the status quo to find your greatest impact?
If we want to make our greatest possible impact on this world, then we must explore the edges. We must look beyond the normal to have a big impact.
It’s beyond the average that we have any chance of having a big impact. If we attempt to do what the majority does, or what others before us have done, then we will not have as big an impact as possible.
Averages are how we have built institutions of government, schools, and corporate ladders, but it’s not sustainable. If our goal is to truly help society, in a real way, then at the beginning we need to look beyond what the manual says. The traditional gatekeepers have rules, systems, and guidelines. If you think of college acceptance, for example, it strives to ask who are the average people and how many can we let in?
There are no specific answers, no prescribed steps, or paths to having an impact. It starts with knowing the goal. I would like to show others how possible it is to follow their big, crazy dreams. I don’t know how, but I know that I will continue to figure it out one day at a time.
Why Is It So Difficult?
Because true impact happens in the face of averages, you must be ready to endure a lot of criticism. While you figure things out you will get many arrows in the back. Doing anything that is truly remarkable puts you in a minority. The majority will continue to increase and more criticism will follow.
Simply put, if it’s a truly awesome path, a lot of people won’t “get it”.
Here are some steps that may help to pursue any big dream:
- Lean on someone who will truly push you to be your best version of you and hold you accountable. Not what they think you should do.
- Don’t strive for perfection. Speed matters when starting out. Be ok with bad at first. As you grow you will learn and improve.
- Lay one brick at a time, don’t worry about overall results, or haters. Just focus on crushing the next smaller goal.
- Just keep learning. Trying new things, testing ideas and going with your gut is important as you learn your style, goals and dreams.
It’s a funny thing. When we post a new picture, video, or quote we receive feedback in the form of comments, likes, dislikes and put together a perception of if “people” like it or not. It’s fascinating to me if I try something new, like say post a Tik Tok video, or a new profile picture how some people will react so intensely.
Reactions are a very big deal for people. When we receive judgment or disagreement from others, it seems like it’s such a huge deal to them. What they don’t understand, is it is likely a matter of us exploring the edges.
The edges are always further away and harder to figure out. They are more risky and frustrating. But, the average, the safe places are not where we will find our greatest impact. If we look back, we will probably realize our great accomplishments came from exploring the edges.
* Write A Guest Post: 8 Billion People
** Read Why Just Keep Learning: JKL Post