”Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”—Leo Tolstoy
We hear a lot these days about changing the world. We hear, however, little focus on personal change. Perhaps, because we have grown sensitive (or made to feel sensitive) to discussing personal responsibility. It is safer to think in global terms than to address the fact that we all contribute to the world as it is. The reality is that the world needs changing, and change must come from personal growth—Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social growth.
We live in a Commons (as in “The Tragedy of the Commons” by Garrett Hardin) where the impact of the individual is often disregarded. We think that what we do as individuals has no impact—that change has to come in the form of legislation. As such, we abdicate our freedoms out of ignorance, fear, weakness, and/or laziness. In the end, the world is often no better for it. As such, the world is better only for those to whom we give power.
We don’t need to change the world. We need to change ourselves. We need to consider our personal effect on the world. It is greater than we think. It is even greater when the desire to grow and to change becomes universal.
Grand change (e.g., global change) is overwhelming. Personal change is easy—when the desire is present.
Baby steps…. We can learn a lot from Bob Wiley (What About Bob?). Baby steps to change. Small (individual) choices add up quickly. Any of the host of global problems can be changed by small personal choices. We just have to use our freedom to choose them. We have to be allowed our freedom to choose.
The tragedy of the Commons is that we do not respect our freedoms. We let the power of a few decide our world for us. As such, we grow weaker Spiritually, Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Socially. In the end, we get the world we are told we want.
I believe human have been designed to evolve as an increasingly complex and unified species. We are intended to grow individually and, thereby, collectively. It is only through such individual growth that we can grow collectively. Personal change is intended to be other-centered change rather than self-centered change. One who thinks of changing oneself for the sake of others can indeed change the world.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!