Life can look bleak at times, especially if you spend too much time in one corner of the internet. Media likes to make us think everybody is evil and there’s no good left in the world. While damaging, it does lead people—like you—to learn how to make an impact on the world for the better. Some people wallow in the bad.
You want to change it.
But how do you even do that? Sometimes it can feel like nothing will make an impact or create change. Maybe you don’t know exactly how or what to do. Or maybe you know exactly how you want to change the world, but aren’t sure how to make it happen.
Whichever camp you’re in, we’ll teach you how to make an impact on the world with these steps:
- The one person equation
- Begin with yourself
- Immediate circle
- The little things
- Your philosophy
- Spread the message
- Ego reduction
One Person CAN Make a Difference
The stories of individuals who have changed the course of history are countless. From Mahatma Gandhi to Rosa Parks to Greta Thunberg, these individuals have shown us that one person can indeed make a difference. Their actions have inspired millions and sparked movements that have changed the world.
But it’s often these examples that also leave people feeling inadequate. These people are brilliant, right? How can you stack up? The truth is that these people are just people. They drew a line in the sand, refused to cross it, and invited others to not cross it, too.
Integrity is a huge part of learning how to make an impact on the world. When you stand for something, it inspires others to discover their own boundaries. It’s the ripple effect of this that makes the difference, as is the case with the examples above.
And you don’t have to be known worldwide to make an impact on the world.
How to Make an Impact on the World No Matter Where You Start
Most of us start wanting to learn how to make an impact on the world because we’ve felt pain in some way. We’ve seen hardship, often firstand, and have decided we don’t want that to continue. We want to help others avoid it.
No matter what impact you want to make, these are the steps to start.
1. Begin with yourself
You can’t impact the world without first addressing yourself. Why is it you want to make this difference? Where did the urge arise?
Most important, what change do you want to make and what about that thing resonates so deeply with you?
The journey to making a positive impact on the world starts with self-reflection. Identify your values and passions, and think about how you can align them with actions that benefit others and the planet. That is to say, where do you draw your line?
It’s important to understand these values because if you want to impact the world, you will have to be able to extract those ideas and share them with others in a way that speaks to their hearts. Because contrary to what many believe, you can’t change the world by yourself. You will have to become a mission driven leader.
That is to say, having a deep understanding of your own beliefs and values is necessary for the actions you must take.
2. Look to the people around you
Start there.
Most people who want to learn how to make an impact on the world jump ahead to the world part. But it never happens that quickly. Start with yourself, then move on to the people around you.
Making a difference doesn’t always require grand gestures. In fact, sometimes, the most meaningful impact can be made in your own community. Whether it’s volunteering at a local shelter or simply lending a listening ear to a friend in need, your actions can have a ripple effect that spreads far and wide.
How can you help your friends, family, and community by leaning into your values and the specific way in which you want to create change?
In general, this doesn’t mean telling your friends they need to change. Or being pushy and aggressive about it.
Instead, focus on these areas and identify opportunities for them:
- Lead by example: Show your friends what it means to be kind, compassionate, and honest in your actions and words. Focus on remaining in integrity with your values and allow your friends to see that.
- Offer support and encouragement: Be there for your friends when they need a helping hand or a listening ear. Encourage them to pursue their goals and dreams. Remove judgement and provide support that’s best for them.
- Provide constructive feedback: Offer feedback in a kind and supportive manner to help your friends grow and improve.
- Be a good listener: Sometimes, all a person needs is someone to listen to them. Practice active listening and show empathy towards your friends’ feelings and experiences without always trying to fix it. Doing this actually opens the door for your friends to then ask you for advice or insight, which means they’ll be far more receptive to it.
- Encourage self-reflection: Encourage your friends to reflect on their actions, beliefs, and values. Help them explore ways to align their behavior with their values. Tell your story about your own self-reflection and values as an example they can learn from.
- Challenge them to step out of their comfort zone: Encourage your friends to try new things and take on challenges that will help them grow and develop as individuals. Don’t allow them to be complacent in their own misery.
- Celebrate their successes: Acknowledge and celebrate your friends’ achievements, no matter how big or small. This will motivate them to continue striving for excellence. If you want to learn how to make an impact on the world, you’ll have to become a cheerleader for change.
- Help them set goals: Assist your friends in setting realistic and achievable goals. Offer support and encouragement as they work towards these goals.
In short, this will make you an authority in your friend group, and uplevel who you spend time with, ensuring you’re surrounding yourself with the right people.
3. Remember the little things
How you treat the cashier at the grocery store can make an impact. I know it sounds small, but you are completely unaware of the ripple effects your actions can cause.
For instance, have you ever thought about when you go to the store, and you’re the 50th person this cashier has seen today. They voice the same string of greetings they have 50 times, “Hi, how are you? Find everything okay?” To which they’re almost always met with a, “Good, and yes.”
Just imagine if you ask how their day has been. Imagine if you used their name when addressing them (because they always have name tags). Imagine if you smiled and looked in their eyes like they’re a human being and not just a robot doing a job.
They might just be happier the rest of the day. They might change up their greeting, and engage with more people.
Even so, it can seem small, but if that cashier was having a terrible day, and you were the one to turn it around, picture what that could look like if they have kids at home. They go home smiling instead of sour. Their kid gets playtime with a parent instead of another quiet movie night.
For the most part, learning how to make an impact on the world starts with your world. Your everyday existence. The people you see. The places you go. Therefore, lean into your integrity and put forth intentional effort to make that difference.
4. Condense your philosophy
After a little while of interacting with your friends, family, and direct community, you’ll start to piece together the messaging and philosophy that seems to make a difference for people.
Part of learning how to make an impact on the world is distilling your primary values into something others can easily understand, take action on, and repeat.
Take some time to condense your philosophy into a few key principles. Basically, this will help you stay focused and motivated as you work toward making a positive impact. It gives you a framework to use when actively teaching others what you want them to learn.
Here are some questions to help:
- What’s the common thread in your values?
- What have people responded the most to?
- Do you find yourself repeating certain things over and over again?
- What feels most in alignment with your life and goals?
- Can you distill all of these into 3 core ideas that are connected?
Lastly, if you want to dive in deeper and get some training on this process, check out this free training for spreading your message to millions.
5. Share your philosophy
This is often the hardest part. If you want to know how to make an impact on the world, the world will have to hear your message. There are many avenues you can take to spread your message, like:
- Getting on a reputable speaking stage, like booking a TED talk to share your message with millions
- Starting a Youtube channel
- Create videos on Instagram
- Start and grow a TikTok account
- Speak at schools and universities
- Go to Toastmasters and try out your material
Once you nail the nitty gritty of your philosophy and understand how to impact the world, you have to get it out there. Nowadays, social media can be a powerful tool, and well-respected avenues of speaking (like getting a TED or TEDx talk) can make all the difference.
This was certainly the case with Kevin Breel in his TEDx talk Confessions of a Depressed Comic, sitting at more than 825,000 views on the Youtube channel alone, and many more in total.
6. Take your ego out of it
In the process of sharing your message, whether it be on stage, social media, or just with friends, you’ll have to fight to keep your ego in check. We like when people agree with us. We like when we can make a positive change. But the truth is that your message isn’t for everyone.
It’s for the people who need to hear it most. That’s who you’ll have the greatest impact on.
So ignore the likes. Ignore the views. While they can be signals that you’re creating change, remember to think about the individual people you’re speaking to. Each of their lives and how you’re making a difference in it.
Wanting to learn how to make an impact on the world is admirable. You likely already are without realizing it. But if you want to take it a step further, consider becoming more serious about this endeavor. Work on your speaking skills, and try to book a stage like TEDx so your words can have the most impact.
