The First Step to Change The World

My whole life I have felt this need to “change the world“. As I grew from boy to man, my ideas about this fragmented world continued to develop. Eventually my contribution of choice was to become a biologist and then an environmental consultant.

With my master’s degree and years of experience, I believed I could change the world by helping businesses and leaders create change in the environment. Surely once I provided real solutions, real change could happen? 

Little did I know that it would be a frustrating exercise in futility. I was approaching change from a “solutions based” angle, rather than addressing the real problem that underpins all injustice and irresponsible behavior on our planet.

The people are the problem

The problem was not the funding or the distribution or the policies, the problem was the people. When you take a business, industry, country, or world that operates from a sense of scarcity and greed, no amount of solutions are going to create real change.

The people are also the solution!

Fortunately, it is not all doom and gloom, and the solution is easier than you think. Yes we must change the world, but first, we must change ourselves.

We must each hone our ability to remain firmly in this moment, for this is the one real thing that we may ever experience. The rest is just bullshit that gets in the way of experiencing this true reality. It gets in the way of us truly experiencing love. It gets in the way of us truly experiencing freedom.

Question everything

We must lovingly, openly, and wholeheartedly… question everything. As individuals in this society, this culture, we are told by other people (whether it be teachers, parents, preachers, friends, or enemies) what we are. That we are a student or a teacher, poor or rich, a hillbilly or a metrosexual, short or tall, American or French, Republican or independent, Hindu or Pentecostal.

This continuous telling us of what we are, creates in each of us the perception of who we think we truly are. This is, in a word, bullshit! These stories are all just layers of an onion. These are layers that surround the beautiful core that is your true self. The goal that we must all have is to pull back these layers (with questioning), one after another after another until there is nothing left but the beautiful core. 

That is, you. 

Most importantly, we must each ask the question “Why the fuck am I here and what is my purpose for being here?”

Fear nothing

We must train ourselves to fear nothing. Not heights, nor tight spaces. Not poor or powerful people. Not the loss of a job, nor a partner. Not enemies. Not religious dogma. Not even death. 

For fear is always and only thought based. Thoughts are not real. Thus, there is nothing to fear, but fear itself. 

We must stand up and open our eyes and exist in this very moment. For in this moment is beauty, and not one lingering scent of fear.

Want for nothing

We must want for nothing. Not a mate, not a job, not a shiny new SUV, not a saviour, not even the attainment of enlightenment. 

For our wants create walls between us and our goal. Similar to fear, this wanting is also just a thought and any thought separates us from this moment (which is where reality and the awakened mind dwells).

Separation from the present moment creates a deficit. This deficit can never be overcome. For as soon as one want is satisfied, another one rears its needy head. It’s a vicious cycle. We must break free from this circle of want, and take the first step to action. From this space, we will create everything we need.

Stop wanting and start being

For each of us, there is one true goal in life… happiness. Nothing more, nothing less. With nothing to fear or attain, we can simply relax in this moment, and experience all that there is to experience fully. The people, the buildings, the forests, the joy, the devastation, the pain and the love. 

This is awakening. Happiness resides here. Experience this existence fully, and have a ball while doing so.

Next, go change the world!