Meeting The Moment
The future is being written right now, and you've got a role in this story. It's time to play it.
The future is here, whether we like it or not, and so far it’s not great. The economy, society and environment seem to all be breaking down at once and many of the principles and beliefs we built these systems on are failing. We’re at a crossroads for humanity and need to act fast. Everyone has a role to play. Many people are taking action everyday, pushing for change and trying to ensure a future that is better than the past. For those sitting on the sidelines, waiting for a sign that it’s time to do something, consider this to be it. The world needs you. This is a story about how each of us can help.
Right now, everything feels big, entrenched, and overwhelming. It’s easy to feel like any effort you make would be a drop in the ocean. But you have more power than you realize. The more you understand the different forms power can take, the better you can recognize the power you have and maximize it. One of the first concepts I learned when studying politics is the difference between hard power and soft power.
Hard power is tangible, and can be expressed through the ability to coerce someone into action. When we think of power, it's usually hard power that we think about because it’s easy to see. Military prowess and economic sanctions, politicians, corporate roles like executives and managers - these are examples of hard power. People can convince themselves that if they don’t have hard power in a situation, they’re powerless. But that's not true. Everyone can cultivate soft power. And don’t let the name confuse you - like a tsunami can reshape the contours of the earth, soft power can take on hard power successfully. It just looks different.
Soft power is intangible and less visible than hard power. It can be found in relationships, positioning, and the art of persuasion. It is operating with integrity, values and authenticity in a way that compels and inspires others to act in a way you want them to. Not through extrinsic force, but through intrinsic desire. It’s telling your story with transparency and humility. All of us have the ability to generate soft power, so long as we recognize it. It requires courage, strategy and collaboration. It comes from analyzing your position, understanding your advantages, and being fearless in using them.
To realize the full strength of power at our disposal to solve these big problems, we can’t get sidetracked by generational warfare. It isn’t about Millennials vs. Boomers vs Gen X or Z. We need everyone pulling together to get us out of this mess. This is about mindset, action and what you’re willing to contribute - and risk - to make the world better than it currently is.
It’s about how honest you’re willing to be about the problems. Looking at where you’re situated within the context of those problems, how you may have benefitted from the systems that led to these problems, and what power you’re putting on the table to solve them. There isn’t room for exceptions. Sacrifice will be required. If you’re only willing to do things that keep you comfortable then you’re not part of the solution. It’s that simple. But by changing your actions and mindset, you can become part of it. It’s up to you. Do hard things or get out of the way.
And it’s going to be hard. Easy was used up in the 90s and is now extinct - there are no easy solutions left. Everything will be challenging, so prepare accordingly. Go hard for what you care about, and don’t worry if people give you a hard time for how much you care. If a house is on fire and there are kids trapped inside, does anyone judge the firefighter for trying too hard to save them? Of course not.
The world is on fire, desperate for firefighters, and it’s on us to step up and go as hard as we can to get the kids out alive. Whatever power is available to you, throw everything you’ve got at it. Only you know how this analogy relates to you, what fires you’re near, what strengths you can muster, and only you can figure out your next steps. Sit quietly and reflect on it. Then act with the courage of a firefighter with the lives of the future on the line.
You’re going to feel overwhelmed. I feel overwhelmed too. In those moments of fear, remind yourself that fear is the first requirement of courage. You cannot be courageous if you’re not first afraid. Courage is the act of overcoming fear and doing it anyway, so fear is a good sign. It means you’re doing something that matters. Move towards it.
People will mock you for going so hard. They’ll try to tell you to lighten up. Don't be so dramatic, are things really that bad? I’ve been teased my whole life for caring too much, being too much, too loud, too opinionated, taking things too seriously. It hurts when you care and hear those things, and I used to let it in, in ways that didn’t serve me. Now I see that those people don’t matter. They’re not here to help, they’re here to distract you. They’re the person standing at the fence of the burning house, yelling at the firefighter on their way in to not trample their flowers in the process.
Listening to those voices slows you down and pushes you off your mission. And you can’t win with them. You’ll be walking out of the smoldering house, eyebrows singed, kids safe in each arm, having accomplished the impossible, and they’ll still be there screaming “look what you did to my azaleas!” Understand you don’t need to stop. You don’t need to listen. You can just walk away, with the future in your arms, knowing you’ve done your part to keep it safe.
We need to be the firefighters because the reality is, no one else is coming to get us. We’re all we have. If you think something should happen, that someone should do something about it, whatever it may be, understand that someone is you. The only way things change is if you become the person who does something to change things.
Courageous leadership is about getting out in front to take the hit now to protect the future. Not looking out for yourself first, getting mine then getting out, but doing the hard thing while you can despite the risk. You know how much risk you can responsibly take - maximize it. It’s probably more than you’re taking right now. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and risk making others uncomfortable in the process. That’s often an important requirement for real change.
If you’re wondering what your role is here, it’s this: use whatever you have in this moment - your voice, your position, your connections, whatever it is - and use it with courage. That is your power and the more you use it, the stronger it will become. Say the things that need to be said in the rooms that need to hear it. Do the hard thing that’s different from what others might expect you to do, but that you know in your bones needs to be done.
The only difference between an outlier and a leader is perspective. The experience in the beginning is the same - looking to either side and realizing you’re alone. Trust that people will follow behind and listen to your intuition without fear. None of us are getting out of this world without bruises, so hunker down and take the hit. Earn your scars knowing that when you had the chance to make a difference, you took it. The choices we make dictate the lives we lead. And the lives we lead create the world we live in. Be bold in your choices, confident in yourself, and caring to others. And create a new world in the process.
But but but... you can't stop now. This is only the beginning.
"If you’re only willing to do things that keep you comfortable then you’re not part of the solution. It’s that simple. But by changing your actions and mindset, you can become part of it. It’s up to you. Do hard things or get out of the way"