Wanting to change the world is a lofty goal, but according to a recent post by Public Words, it comes down to some basic principles.
In an article headlined, “How to Change the World – 5 Lessons from People Who Have,” the communications strategists boil it down to five characteristics.
My very streamlined summary:

1.  Take the plunge.  No one ever gives you permission to start doing something different.  You have to take the risk.  There is no magic moment when all your colleagues in your day job say, “It’s time – go for it!”  That voice has to come from inside you.
2.  Start with passion, keep going with focus and hard work.  There’s no substitute for putting in the hours – the passion just gets you started.
3.  Always look through the filter.  Whatever your particular point of view is, you have to look at the world with that lens – always.  Every moment becomes an opportunity for a new insight, a new data point, a new addition to your bank of stories and wisdom.  Even downtime is an opportunity, always.
4.  Sideways moves are OK – good, even.  If you’re creating something new, it – by definition – probably isn’t out there already.  So there’s no corner office or neat job title waiting you – you have to get there in a series of sideways moves and approximations.
5.  Create it, don’t wait for it.  If it doesn’t exist already, then you are going to have to create it, eventually.  Don’t wait for permission or a phone call.  Instead, start something new.  People won’t get it, they’ll tell you it won’t work, they’ll ignore you.  Until one day, when it is working, and everyone says, “Oh yeah, I knew it all along.”

Read the full article, which includes real-life examples of these principles in action, here.

Related articles

• Five Key Insights For Changing The World — From People Who Have (forbes.com)
• 15 Little Ways You Change The World (thoughtcatalog.com)
• 5 ways to inspire and motivate people to change the world (motivatingforpositivechange.wordpress.com)
• People who dare to change the world (cnn.com)
• How The ‘I Have A Dream Speech’ Changed The World (huffingtonpost.com)