Christen Brandt - Impact

W HEN YOU THINK of a changemaker, who do you picture in your minds eye?

Perhaps you see Nelson Mandela, sowing the seeds of peace in his country. Or Malala Yousafzai, risking her life to speak out against the Taliban, or Tarana Burke, whose two simple words on social media, me too, sparked a movement that knocked abusers out of power. Maybe you think of a leader you know in your own community. There is no shortage of inspiration.

Tell the truth, though: Do you ever picture yourself?

Most people dont, and its time to set the record straight.

You, reader, are a changemaker. You are capable of enormous impact over the span of your life, whether youve already had a head start creating it or not. People often ask us how to make a difference, and we find that most underestimate their own potential. Wanting to create change doesnt automatically come with any way of knowing how to take the first steps, and it can feel like too big a task to take on by yourself.

So: What is standing in the way between who you are and the changemaker youre meant to be?

Maybe you dont know where to start. When you turn on the news, you see a mess of immigration policy, the surge of racism, and the dangers of a broken political system. Alt-right views and fake news spread on social media and have compromised democracy. The planet faces irreparable damage. You see migrant camps at borders, nationalism gaining traction, wildfires raging, women sexually abusedit can feel utterly overwhelming. Its easier to turn a blind eye in defeat, or in the hope somebody else will take care of it.

But, deep down inside, youre not the kind of person who turns away, or else you wouldnt have picked up this book. And what youre holding in your hands now is a starting point. Your curiosity to come on this journey has effectively begun the work that will help you turn your anger and frustration into an action plan. It will fall into place sooner than you think.

Maybe you think your efforts will be insignificant. Your small steps can seem tiny compared to large movements like Black Lives Matter, Moms Demand Action, #MeToo, or Fridays for Future. And, even when you are contributing, it can seem impossible to navigate such a complex space, where one misstep could lead to your cancelation. Suddenly, changing the world feels too big to take on. Is it even worth it to try?

This is a challenge we all face, and all of those people you admire started where you are today, feeling that things could be better. That it didnt have to be this way. Established changemakers didnt start with it all figured out. They started with that same feeling. Besides: Small, individual efforts give movements their power; once you learn how to link your good deeds to collective efforts, youll see a completely different outcome.

Maybe youre not sure if its the right time. You feel too broke, too inexperienced, or just too exhausted. Sure, you want to take on that new project, volunteer role, or leadership commitment but maybe after work shows down, maybe once you get that new job, once you settle in after your wedding, once your kids are older maybe later.

You may be skeptical of whether you can live up to another set of goals when its hard enough to stick to a New Years resolution. It will be very tempting to push all this down the priority list. We get it. Please note, we abide by airplane safety rules around here: Put your oxygen mask on first, because you cannot be in service to others if youre struggling. If you lose your job, for instance, you would understandably want to scale back on other commitments until you find a new one. If you have student loans, you want to pay those off. Fortunately, creating impact is a long-game approach, and the work you do to get yourself to a place where you can give back is part of the plan, too.

But, barring deep personal hardship, there are times when we all need to rearrange our priorities and set boundaries to do what matters to us. A popular mantra among entrepreneurs is start before youre ready because most of the time, people underestimate their potential and hold off for a perfect time when there never really is one. The two of us believe that by focusing your efforts, you can maximize whatever time and resources you do have. Once you begin your service, it becomes a virtuous cycle with scientifically proven health benefits, and youll gain the momentum to keep going. That will give you a sense of satisfaction that helps you sleep at night. Trust the process!

Or, maybe you just feel alone in making sense of your scattered contributions. And if thats the case, youve stumbled onto the million-dollar question: Why is it that when it comes to your legacy, your mark on the worldyour impactyoure left to your own devices? No ones there to tell you how to direct your resources or to congratulate you when youre way ahead of the curve or even to reveal whether your generosity is accidentally causing mayhem halfway around the world. How do you know if youll leave the world better off than when you arrived?

Think of all the areas in which people seek direction from others: career, finance, relationships. Career coaches, financial advisors, and therapists are becoming more and more common for those who can afford them. Its transformational when someone fixes attention on you, to guide you through critical, often long-term life decisions. And if you havent hired someone to do that, lets assume youve built support networks, found mentors, and read lots of books to figure out the best lifelong strategies. These life-changing decisions about work, money, and love seem to require a whole entourage of professional guidance, mentors, and support. Why is your impact treated differently? Why do people have to figure this out alone?

Well, not everyone does. Theres one notable exception: People who have tremendous fortunes and influencethink Bill and Melinda Gates, the Obamas, Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle, or huge companies like Google, Starbucks, and Patagoniarely on Impact Advisors. Impact Advisors help Impact Planners position themselves in relation to real needs in the world, by determining where they bring value. They help them develop their narratives and messaging around why they do what they do. They run risk assessments, facilitate partnerships, and define what successful outcomes look like. Sounds nice, doesnt it?