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Path to Change

Think you have what it takes to change the world?

SEE IT: What is your vision for a stronger community?

In one sentence, address what you think needs to change in your community (ie. your school, your town, the global community, etc.) and come up with a way to make it better. Only after you identify real needs in your community can you imagine a better way of doing things. It could go something like this: “My vision for a better community/world is…and this is my idea for making it happen……”

BELIEVE IT: Why is my vision important to me and others?

Changing the world can be tough work. If you believe in yourself, and have a firm grasp on how your passion will pay off for yourself and your community, it’ll be so much easier to keep going. It’s important to not only pick a cause or an issue that you believe in 100%, but it’s also important that the community, especially the people you are trying to help, believe in your project as well. It is important to understand the problem you are trying to solve and be able to communicate the need and goals of your project to others.

BUILD IT: What can I do to make my dream into reality?

Nothing happens with an easy snap of the fingers. You have identified the problem and come up with an idea, now its time to BUILD your project and come up with some action steps.

The first step is setting up goals for your project. Your long term goal maybe to end poverty, help the homeless, or use the power of music to help sick children, but if you think about your project in terms of measurable short term goals, you’ll have an easier time making change. Some examples to keep in mind:

  • Goal: To directly help 20 people.
  • Goal: To raise $1000 in donated goods and services towards my project.
  • Goal: To get the local news to do a story on my project.
  • Goal: To inspire 50% of the school population to get involved.

The next step is to break the goals you came up with in the into action steps. For example:

  • Goal: Get the local news to do a story on my project
  • Invite someone, like a local politician, that’s likely to draw a crowd and the media to an event your holding.
  • Make a list of all your local news outlets and research the best person to contact at each
  • Write a press release and send it out to all the outlets on your list
  • Create a packet of materials on your project (ie. Media Kit) that you can give to any media that attends your event

Once you have figured out the goals of your project, you next need to build out the larger structure of your project.

  • TITLE of the project
  • WHAT the project will accomplish
  • WHO the project will affect
  • TIMELINE for the project
  • RESOURCES you will need and where you will obtain them.
  • CHALLENGES that the project may present

DO IT: Put your plan into action

Go out there and get moving! Keep your plan in mind, but stay flexible. Unplanned things are bound to happen.

REFLECT: What happened? And what’s next?

Here is where you think about the goals you set up in the BELIEVE IT step. Did you reach your goals? What would you do differently going forward or next time? Did you achieve so much success that you want to repeat the project again or keep it going? Even if you decide to keep growing your project past your original goals, it’s important to regularly stop and reflect on your goals, celebrate your accomplishments and set new ones. If you don’t reach all your goals, don’t worry, that’s what “next time” is all about.