What difference did you make today? If you were to step back and look at your work, would you feel like you added real value to the world, or just kept things ticking over?
It’s easy to slip into doing the same old thing with your business; to take the safe options rather than rise to the challenge; to follow the aims set out for you by others. If you want to make a difference then you need to rise to the challenge, and the first step is identifying a challenge that’s worthwhile. Look for a problem in the world around you, something that doesn’t just make you think but that makes you feel like there is a need for change.
I have recently been reading about Tesla Motors who have done this with their dedication to producing electric cars. They identified a need for more environmentally friendly cars that are enjoyable to drive. They have risen to that challenge, driving down the cost of eco friendly living in the face of some massive difficulties.
Part of finding your challenge lies in recognising that business does not exist in a vacuum. It is linked to wider social and environmental issues, and if we don’t support our world and society then it won’t support business. Find a purpose, a way for your business to have an impact, and set that as your primary goal.
This is about more than just jumping to the first, most obvious solution. Look deeply at the problem you’ve seen, whether it’s litter on the streets, an educational shortfall or any of the hundreds of other causes that lights people’s passions. Take a tip from the Toyota and ask why things are the way they are, asking again and again until you get to the root of the problem.
Then look at the solutions on offer and ask why they don’t work. If you are an established business and are looking to transform it then ask what harm social and environmental damage are doing to your business and how you could do something to solve this. Show your employees how the solution helps them.
Staying focused is vital to success. That’s as true in keeping to your purpose as it is in juggling your daily tasks. There will be times when the obstacles seem insurmountable, when distractions and easy options might lure you away from your purpose. However, if you believe in yourself, if you believe in your cause and your ability to make a change, then you can overcome anything.
Going back to Tesla Motors. Following the financial crisis the motor industry was in disarray. Even General Motors was filing for bankruptcy, and against this backdrop it was all but impossible to find funding for a relatively unknown car firm, especially one with such a radical and risky focus. Tesla persisted, they found their funding, and they have gone on to provide real innovation in the industry profitably.
If you have a purpose that people value then they will come round to your cause. If you have a purpose that you value then you will be able to stick with it, even when the going gets tough. Find your purpose. Live your impact. Make a difference, for you and for the world.
