We’re in times that are both challenging but also filled with opportunities. I am grateful for this global time-out because there’s something in it that has to teach us something bigger as humanity.
It’s a horrible horrible way for us to learn though. So many lives lost, so many numbers thrown at us daily and behind each number is a person, with a family, with a legacy and with a contribution to the planet.
We are in emergency operations now as part of my work at CARE. Most of the country offices have closed down their operations and are focusing on preparing for #Covid-19. What will happen when and if it hits Africa and what I am particularly concerned about is the refugee camps. How can it become within or under control in places where people live very close to each other and there might not be clean water and everything spreads faster? But instead of me looking at it from a place of fear, I will not only look at it from a place of hope – I want to look at it from a place of action and creativity.
How to rise up to opportunities
When I was working at the biggest sustainability Think Tank in the Nordics as a Brand Director, my mission was to create a whole corner in the sustainability movement that we could work from and build more content and ideas into – huge opportunities that we could execute on, on the daily.
I have a couple of key principles when it comes to building movements and rising up as a person and a brand:
Showing the World who you are by DOING instead of TALKING
INCLUDE – Don’t see yourself as separate, and don’t act like others are separate either. You’re united for world dominion, rockers! Yes you need to participate and share stuff for others too. These are like important relationships rockers! – you have to give some to earn some.
PARTICIPATE: There are so many virtual calls for everything out there these days. So many ‘us vs COVID’ digital hackathons and programs. Instead of watching Netflix – become a part of those. Contribute. Share your skills and create magic.
TELL EVERYONE: Pitch your ideas. Not just to potential clients – pitch them to anyone. Are you passionate about technology? Tell everyone. Ideas around sustainability need to be bolder than life. Challenges we want to rise up to, and find possibilities in such as Covid19 can have Big Hairy Audacious Goals.
It’s one of the greatest things about working for a planet that’s fucked up environmentally and healthwise: The sky is the limit when it comes to how bold and audacious the ideas needed can be. The opportunities are there – but the question is: will you rise up and take them?