Obstacle 1: Just Can’t Get Started
Meet Madison
Madison is deeply passionate about a plethora of social and political issues. But outside the digital echo chamber of social media, her activism comes to a screeching halt.
When she engages in spirited discussions with her friends over coffee, her words brim with conviction. But her actions—or rather, the absence of them—tell a different story. She was all talk and no walk. And the hypocrisy gnawed at her every time she implored someone else to “do something” about these problems.
Little did Madison know that organizations and movements are desperate for people just like her—those with the passion and the will to make a difference, even if they don’t quite know how. She didn’t realize that her first step could be as simple as attending a local town hall, volunteering for a weekend event, or even sending an email to an organization whose work she admired. If she could break the invisible barrier she had constructed around herself, Madison could transform from a passive sympathizer into an active advocate.
Solution
Just Get Started
Madison is a reservoir of untapped potential.
Movements aren’t just for seasoned activists or experts. That’s a myth.
On the contrary, almost every successful movement is fueled by ordinary people with no special qualifications beyond passion, sincerity, and the willingness to show up.
A Simple Two-Step Process
What do you want to do?
Maybe you already have an idea. Maybe you have no clue. Regardless, there are so many good causes and ways to help that it helps to narrow it down. What matters most to you? What options might you have? If everything works out, where would you like your activism to be a year from now? Think or write it out.
Research
The right movement or organization for you rarely falls into your lap. You have to find them. We all know how to use Google. The next time you have ten spare minutes, do some searching around the causes and ideas you came up with in Step 1. If you don’t find anything, wait until the next time you have ten spare minutes, and try again. It may take more than one browsing session.
If You’re Still Struggling to Start…
✓ You can start small!
You don’t have to solve climate change overnight. Attend a community meeting. Volunteer for a local organization. Record a video. Your first step can be as easy as sending an email to an organization you admire and asking how you can contribute.
✓ Nothing is permanent.
Activism isn’t marriage. If you try something, and it doesn’t work out, that’s okay! You’re an adult. You can control who or what you affiliate with, and how much work you take on. Just try something new and see what happens.
✓ It’s really, really important.
Madison’s dissonance isn’t healthy. It’s sapping her self-esteem. Not doing more to make the world a better place is the sort of thing people regret on their deathbeds. Every moment she spends doubting is a moment lost for advocacy. When there are too many people like Madison, we all suffer the consequences of their inaction.
“Movements begin the moment ordinary people decide they are no longer willing to remain spectators.”