Do you remember the most famous quote by astronaut Neil Amstrong? He said his incredible mission was “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” And that’s precisely what you are going to do now – take small steps that will affect the entire world that surrounds you. Like Amstrong on the moon, you will discover your path while walking, and we are going to be your control tower to guide you through this extraordinary experience.
Let’s hoist the sails!
To be a skillful changemaker, you are going to need the right equipment. Let us give you your traveling kitbag – the 8 steps to be a changemaker guide will show you the way to effective action. In each step, you’ll find an explanation regarding the carrying out of that step and a how-to kit with 6 questions to stimulate your thinking and planning, 3 useful tips you may decide to pick up, 1 inspiring experience from passionate changemakers, and some instruments to help you sharpen your strategy. In the end, an output lets you make sure you have fully completed the step, and you are ready to go next.
Mindset is everything
Having and maintaining a positive self-trust mindset is perhaps the most powerful tool of all. Always try to keep your objective clear in your mind, and don’t let events lead you down. Feeling blue may sometimes happen even to the most energic changemakers, but remember, you won’t ever be along in this journey, as your comrades will undoubtedly know how to get back on track, all together!
Be down-to-earth
Every successful project has a clear and realistic timeline. Don’t get lost in an endless road – schedule your activities on a monthly basis, trying not to plan things further than one year. And along the way, don’t forget to frequently ask yourself what stage you are in the timeline.
Virtuous cycles will fuel the change
Have you ever thought your action may not be just a linear process? When you reach the 8th step of the guide, you will find out that it is not only the end of your first change, it is the beginning of your next one! Starting from the last step, you will go back to a previous step and trigger a very virtuous cycle.
Take notes, make videos, and have fun!
While sailing this route, don’t forget to enjoy it. Keeping track of everything you do or discover will give you the chance to cherish your best memories. Whether you decide to write a blog, take photos, or make videos, all the material you collect will add value to the incredibly exciting adventure you have embarked on.
Do you want some examples?
Starting off is always the most challenging part. If you want to take some inspiration, have a look at the two examples we laid down for you. They are not reports from actions performed by changemakers. Their scope is just to give you a rough idea of possible ways to develop the steps concretely.
