Purposeful summary

When you think of world-changing people, you might picture Martin Luther King, Jr. or Nelson Mandela. But you don’t have to win a Nobel Peace Prize in order to make a big difference. In fact, even small actions can have a ripple effect that leads to significant consequences.

Such was the change that came from the actions of Turkish activist Erdem Gündüz.

If having purpose is the first ingredient to change, the second essential ingredient is a well-defined vision.

While purpose should answer the question of why you want to take action, vision answers the question of what the future looks like after action has been taken and change sets in.

If you want to change the world, you may think that playing it nice won’t get you very far. But you shouldn’t underestimate the power of a positive attitude, especially when trying to convince people in power to help you. When you approach them respectfully, people will be far more receptive to your ideas, as well as more willing to work with you.

This positive attitude means you should avoid thinking of decision-makers, such as politicians and CEOs, as “targets” that need to be forcibly convinced to do what you want them to. For example, attacking someone on Twitter is unlikely to provoke the change you’re looking for. In fact, it’s likely to kill your chances of working with that person now or in the future.

Getting people on board is only the start of a successful movement – you also have to know how to keep those people motivated and engaged for the duration of the movement.

To sustain people’s motivation, you need to remind them of three important things about your movement: its members’ shared purpose, their continued personal growth and their strong interpersonal connections.

No one likes to be on the receiving end of harsh criticism, but when you’re starting a movement, criticism is practically inevitable. No matter your purpose and vision, you’re bound to encounter someone who either opposes your idea or disagrees with your approach.

These days, there are two kinds of criticism: there’s the positive and constructive feedback, and then there are the “trolls” and “haters” who offer nothing constructive and only criticize in order to drag others down.

Life doesn’t move in a straight line. It’s filled with ups and downs, especially when you’re trying to start a movement. So don’t be surprised if you stumble when trying to come out of the gate with a new idea. And remember, you’re not alone – every entrepreneur and leader has taken a fall at one time or another.

Once you understand that obstacles are bound to appear, you can then be ready to react as best you can.