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What Motivates you?
In these uncertain times, it’s all too easy to feel disoriented and overwhelmed as you navigate the complexities of navigating the professional world. Whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional, facing difficult decisions alongside a constant stream of news that challenges your values can be incredibly draining.
We understand this struggle; many of us have experienced those late nights cramming for exams, hustling for internships, working for the promotion, and juggling personal relationships with friends and family—all while contemplating our futures. And let’s not forget the state of the world we live in: the looming threat of climate change, rising sea levels, dying ecosystems, deteriorating air and water quality, resource depletion, disease and famine, political unrest, and the global refugee crisis. The challenges can feel relentless.
As we analyze these pressing issues, a crucial question arises:
How do we juggle it all, manage anxiety of the unknown, and get motivated to keep pushing forward?
There are countless answers to that question, but at the end of the day, it all boils down to what works best for you. As you step into a leadership role, you’ll face numerous challenges throughout your journey, and it’s important to remember that you won’t always have all the answers—and that’s perfectly okay. Embracing uncertainty is part of the process, and the key is to motivate yourself to embark on the journey of seeking solutions.
To help set your mindset in the right direction, we’ve curated a selection of inspiring videos. We encourage you to watch them all and revisit them whenever you need a refreshing dose of inspiration and motivation.
Self-motivation represents a crucial shift in mindset for anyone eager to dismantle barriers and confront complex challenges. This transformation allows you to move beyond viewing your work in isolation, enabling you to see it within the context of a larger system. By doing so, you pave the way for amplifying your impact and driving large-scale change. What we’re discussing here is known as collective action.
Embracing self-motivation not only fuels your personal growth but also empowers you to collaborate effectively with others, fostering a sense of shared purpose and community in the pursuit of meaningful solutions.
Collective Agency: The Power of Numbers
“The success of any kind of social epidemic is heavily dependent on the involvement of people with a particular and rare set of social gifts.” – Malcolm Gladwell
As we look toward the future and consider the roles we can play in shaping it, it’s essential to reflect on the past and the achievements that have brought us to where we are today. History offers us valuable lessons, providing insights into how individuals and communities have driven progress and overcome challenges.
As Carl Sagan once said, “You have to know the past to understand the present”.
Pioneers like Martin Luther King Jr., Rachel Carson, Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, Steve Jobs, Mahatma Gandhi, Malala Yousafzai, Paul Farmer, and Jeffrey Sachs are celebrated for their transformative ideas and actions. However, their success wasn’t achieved in isolation. It was the collective effort of their communities, supporters, and like-minded individuals that propelled their initiatives forward. This highlights the power of collective agency—the idea that shared vision, community, and conviction are the driving forces behind meaningful, large-scale change.
By reflecting on the past and embracing the principles of collective agency, we can better understand how to navigate the challenges of today and create a future that aligns with our shared values and aspirations
Malcolm Gladwell describes in his book, The Tipping Point, that there are “five characteristics & personality traits that attract these collective agents of change:”
- Clear vision
- Patience yet persistence
- Asking tough and critical questions
- Knowledge and leading by example
- Strong relationships built on trust
As an agent of change, you are on a mission—a mission to create a better future. By joining this journey, you’re becoming part of a community of like-minded individuals who share a common vision and are motivated to help us all move toward that goal. This approach is rooted in the concept of Collective Impact, which is built on a powerful belief: no single policy, government department, organization, or program can solve the increasingly complex social challenges we face today.
The term “Collective Impact” was popularized by John Kania and Mark Kramer in the Stanford Social Innovation Review in 2011. They emphasized that meaningful, large-scale change requires collaboration across sectors, unified by a shared agenda and mutual accountability. When asked about the concept, they explained that it’s not just about working together—it’s about aligning efforts in a way that amplifies impact and drives systemic change.
As part of this movement, you’re not just an individual striving for change; you’re a vital piece of a larger puzzle. Together, through shared vision and coordinated action, we can tackle the world’s most pressing challenges and create a future that reflects our collective aspirations.
“We believe that there is no other way society will achieve large-scale progress against the urgent and complex problems of our time, unless a collective impact approach becomes the accepted way of doing business.”
Below is a breakdown of the framework:
All participants have a common agenda for change including a shared understanding of the problem and a joint approach to solving it through agreed upon actions.
Collecting data and measuring results consistently across all the participants ensures shared measurement for alignment and accountability.
A plan of action that outlines and coordinates mutually reinforcing activities for each participant.
Open and continuous communication is needed across the many players to build trust, assure mutual objectives, and create common motivation.
A backbone organisation(s) with staff and a specific set of skills to serve the entire initiative and coordinate participating organizations and agencies.
At this point, you may be thinking: What does this all mean, and what does it have to do with me?
We start with this topic because throughout our journey together, we want you to think critically about the status quo, reflect on what moves you, the state of your home community, and not fret about the unknown. We are all in this together, and by embarking on this adventure with us, you are now an essential part of our community. Together, we can amplify our collective impact.
We are here to push you beyond your limits, share new enlightening experiences, learn from one another, pick you up when you are down, act as friends and mentors, and hopefully, together we can leave this planet better off than when we got here…that’s the goal. So, let’s get started.
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