One of the things that I find to be the most frustrating in my line of work is seeing so many individuals who truly believe that in order to make a profound difference, they must make some revolutionary discovery or go above and beyond the norm. They constantly assume that they must start their career endeavor from scratch, and that they must do something major, such as start their own company or non-profit.
Although there is by no means something wrong with starting something new and unique, it is not entirely necessary. Instead of creating a company that is entirely your own, or formulating a new theory, idea, or way of looking at things, you could instead dedicate your time and money towards research for a social cause that has already existed for quite some time.
You could look to see what has already been implemented as a solution, and do further research on what else needs to be done in order to solve the problem. Then, you can figure out how to implement yourself into the institutions that have already been created, and thus build off of what individuals have already done in the past.
This is oftentimes a much better way to do things than starting from nothing, and it gives you something to work with in regards to experience and inspiration. It is always nice to learn from the mistakes of others, and it is even more useful to know what has previously worked as well. The main point to take from this is that you do not need to do things completely by yourself, and it is more than okay to simply join a niche rather than creating your own.
Another thing that I find to be incredibly irritating is when I find changemakers who are absolutely convinced that they must be leaders. Yes, we are in desperate need of leaders. Yes, leaders have the ability to make an amazing impact on the world. However, it is important to note that not every individual is a leader. This fact is especially true for the idealistic stereotype and definition that a majority of society has for a leader.
An individual who forces his or herself to be a leader when they simply do not have what it takes will do no good. Their energy could be better invested elsewhere, and they are doing nothing other than wasting their time. Do not get me wrong- leaders are fantastic. At the same token, individuals should not force themselves into a leadership mold if that is just not what they are.
I firmly believe in the concept of synergy. Synergy essentially means that when individuals cooperate and work together collectively, their positive impact will be much greater than if they were to work separately and on their own.
If we believe in this concept, it can then be concluded that serving and working for changemakers is as great a way of changing the world as being a leader is. It is a more powerful and synergistic way of helping than working on your own could ever be. You will be able to flourish at what you are truly good at, and you will be paid well for doing so.
Here are some possible career options if you decide to pursue this niche: working in the technology development field, business coach, life coach, salesperson, marketer, virtual assistant, consultant, fundraiser, workshop leader, author, journalist, photographer, executive director, employee for a social media enterprise, philanthropist, event planner, and social enterprise investor and developer.
The best part is that these are not even all of them. There are dozens of job opportunities that I have chosen not to include, and each and every one of them is worthy of pursuing.
