So You Want to Make a Positive Change in the World? Six Steps to Help Jumpstart Your Philanthropic Journey

I’ve always hated the age-old saying that humans are naturally selfish or destructive as it’s a bleak view on humanity. From what I’ve seen, the vast majority of our species want what’s best for each other and want to support each other, as that’s the only way we can truly evolve and achieve greatness. However, with the seemingly countless issues that face us and our planet on a daily basis, such as poverty, climate change, social and racial injustice, lack of access to quality education, plastic pollution, the need for clean water, housing for the poor and mental wellness (just to name a few), it can be a daunting challenge, with many not knowing where to even begin.

As someone who has personally helped many people looking to make a positive change in the world, as well as proudly being one myself as the founder of a world-class school for economically and socially deprived children, I’m familiar with the steps needed to go from passion or concern to desired results, and I’m happy to share six of them with you to help you start your journey today.

1. Determine what cause you genuinely wish to support

You want to solve all the world’s problems, but we all have limited time and resources to dedicate to these issues. For maximum impact, start by focusing on one issue that really calls to you. The chosen cause can be broadened in the future, but initially begin with the one you are deeply passionate about and are prepared to devote your attention to.

2. Research the issue and the space

Once you know what cause you want to focus on, it’s essential that you understand the problem, and those that are part of the issue, well: present conditions, solutions currently being pursued, influential individuals and groups in the space, financial requirements, and others. While the initial research may take some time, it’s a crucial step that will significantly help you develop a plan that will have the most impact over the long term.

It might also reveal that the initially preferred cause isn’t what you really want to support for various reasons. Whether it be due to it being more time-consuming than you can afford, several other groups and individuals are already involved, it’s a high financial investment, or too physically remote for you, it’s better to uncover this in the early stage rather than later in your journey.

3. Define your role

Once you’ve completed your research into your chosen cause, you should now have a clearer picture on how best to proceed. Your chosen role in addressing your cause could be one of many: an activist, project initiator, blogger/influencer covering the space, donor, social worker (or volunteer) at a larger organization — the options are practically limitless. Plus, your role may change as your journey progresses; what you initially decide can always change if you later recognize that your involvement isn’t right.

4. Decide precisely what you want to accomplish

Define your mission and prepare your game plan. Simple goals and targets are fine, as long as your work creates the desired results. A clear vision will provide constant direction for what you are doing and why you are doing it. Plus, it will help you avoid going in a direction that isn’t aligned to your chosen cause.

That isn’t to say you shouldn’t be flexible and try new things, but it’s best to do so in a thoughtful, mindful way. Some of your early considerations should be on how you will proceed, your timeline, and the resources needed. When you’re busy with day-to-day work, you can lose sight of why you are involved in the first place, so it’s best to have a solid mission to refer back to.

5. Prepare your timeline

Time is critical and often an underappreciated factor for almost any endeavor. Knowing what you need to do and for how long it will take will help you strategically approach your work, allowing you to make the necessary changes to your daily routine. Your plan must align with your current stage in life.

Shorter timelines are ideal if you’re looking at it as a stepping stone to something bigger, or if there are other commitments coming up in the future. Typically, the longer and more fleshed out your timeline is, the more impactful and dynamic your relationship with the cause becomes.

6. Consider your budget and how you will raise initial funding

Making meaningful change is not cheap — money is essential in keeping many long-term changes in place. While raising money can often be daunting, it can also be a great way to connect with others who deeply care about the cause you are working towards, potentially creating a more profound impact than you initially thought. Look at fundraising as a way to connect with people, not just their wallets.

Final Thoughts

With so many challenging issues facing our world, there is no better time than now to get involved and have a positive impact on causes you’re passionate about. Taking a mindful, pragmatic approach to service will bring about the most significant results for your cause, and generate deep internal satisfaction that is often missing from our lives.