How to Change the World

You want to change the world, but you aren't sure where to start. First and foremost, remember that changing the world can mean so many different things. You might change the world in one big way, or you might do many small things. You'll need to think big, but manage your expectations. Most importantly: find a cause and get started.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Thinking Big

1. Understand what's wrong. Read the news and magazines. Ask questions. Broaden your awareness as far as you can. The world is a wide and wondrous place, and you won't be able to change much if you don't understand what's going on out there.
   
   • Don't just read your local news – read news from other cities, other states, other countries. Read opinions and accounts from people who live across the world.
   • Watch documentaries and TED Talks.^[1] Listen to lectures. Focus on specific subject. Try to learn as much as you can.
2. Identify specific problems. It is one thing to say that you want to change the world because you sense an imbalance. It is another to say: There is war in Palestine; there is a drought in California; there are people dying in refugee camps in central Africa; there are rainforests being burned in Brazil; there are entire island nations in the Indian Ocean that are being evacuated due to rising sea levels. There is a lot to change!
   
3. See the world. Travel to foreign lands, if you can, and speak to locals about the way that they live. Visit people in your community who live differently than you – people who make more or less money; who are younger or older; who come from a different ethnic or religious background. Use the Internet to supplement and share your explorations. Try to drink in as much of this planet as you can. Learn to love it.
   
   • You don't need to have a lot of money to see the world. Think about how much you can experience just by walking down the block, or visiting a neighboring city. If you truly want to travel, you can find a way.
   • Try to learn from every experience. When you visit a foreign country, don't cut yourself off from the culture. Immerse yourself!
   • If the thought of travel for travel's sake seems too hedonistic, think about taking some sort of service trip. Volunteer to build houses or protect an ecosystem; join the Peace Corps, Doctors Without Borders, or another international aid organization; WWOOF and help out local farmers in a work/trade situation. Find a way to give back!
4. Consider what you want to change. Try to pick out the issues that resonate most with you. Ask yourself what feels important. Perhaps you want to spend your life battling climate change, or purging slavery from the world, or saving a species from the brink of extinction. You might change the world in one big way, and you might change it in many small ways.
   
   • There are many ways to change the world. You can change a rough stone to precious diamond.Just you have to find the way.

[Edit]Managing Your Expectations

1. Ask yourself what it means to change the world. It is a grand intention, to be sure, and you can certainly find a way to make a difference if you have the will and means to do so. However, it's important to remember that "changing the world" usually doesn't mean "fixing everything about the world." It typically means something more like, "encountering a problem and fixing that problem."
   
2. Know that change doesn't come overnight. Even the quickest and most decisive revolutions take months or years of groundwork.Patience brings Reward. Don't expect to change the world with one big, heroic act. Try to live your values each day, even if you don't see much appreciable change on a day-to-day level. Work hard and don't give up.Be Patient
   
   • Even if your cumulative actions don't change the world, you'll be able to say that you lived a life you're proud of. You might inspire or teach others by example. You may find that change occurs when you least expect it.
3. Don't lose sight of your ideals. Be patient and intentional – but not too patient. Set realistic goals for yourself, but try not to lose your fire in the details. Your desire to change the world is powerful as long as it burns within you.
   
4. Think about your natural gifts. There is a quote, often (dubiously) attributed to Pablo Picasso: "The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The meaning of life is to give it away."^[2] Consider what you love doing: a thing that sets you afire with passion, that consumes you, that holds your focus for hours at the hint of a spark. Do that thing, even if no one else is doing it. Find a way to share it with the world.^[3]
   
   • Consider all the various ways that people have changed the world. Nelson Mandela changed the world by combating Apartheid; Henry Ford by popularizing the automobile; Steve Jobs changing personal computers; Gutenberg by inventing the printing press; Marco Polo by traveling widely and connecting cultures. You can draw inspiration from someone else, or you can forge your own way.
   • Read about people who have changed the world. Seek inspiration in their stories. These people can be almost anyone that you admire: not just Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Steve Jobs, Jr., but Bill Gates, Abraham Lincoln, or Bill McKibben.
5. Specify your dreams. Try to get to the root of the fantasy in your head. What does it really look like, in your mind's eye, to "change the world?" Is it writing a book, patenting an invention, organizing people, saving a species? There are so many ways to make a difference, on myriad magnitudes. No doubt, some of these avenues will catch your fancy more than others.
   
6. Remember that you don't need to do it alone. Martin Luther King, Jr. made his marches and speeches with the help of hordes of passionate activists. JFK didn't avert the Cuban Missile Crisis single-handedly – he did so with a brilliant board of ministers and advisers. John Lennon may never have helped so many people "Imagine" without the rest of the Beatles. Live passionately and create gravity around your values. As you begin to gather momentum, you may draw other passionate people into your orbit.
   
   • Organize a club or a discussion group. Gather some of your friends to volunteer with you. Share your thoughts on social media and try to spread the word. Consider that things might happen much more quickly if there are others involved.
   • Libraries will often let you use their facilities for free to start harmless, non-controversial groups. If you can't do that, check out the price for the community building rental. Or: simply host meetings in your home!
   • Try joining an existing organization. Volunteer for a nonprofit, or donate to a charity, or apply for a service program. If you don't know where to start, there are a lot of good people already out there making difference.

[Edit]Helping Humanity

1. Volunteer or donate to charity. It's not just about working in a soup kitchen or visiting the old folks' home. Today anyone can volunteer to do anything!^[4] Contact the local volunteer organisations in your area and discover a cause that you feel passionate about. Start a petition, donate money, support a charity, fundraise, or be an advocate.^[5]
   
   • Don't donate to the first charity you come across. There are huge differences in efficiency. If you want to make sure that your money is used to save as many lives as possible, do check out givewell.org. Picking one of their most recommended charities is quick and easy, but you can also read up on why they chose those if you're interested. Other possible sites are BBB Start With Trust or Charity Navigator.
   • Buy a wristband. They are all the rage in Hollywood, with lots of celebrities sporting the most recent fashion accessory—a charity wristband. Not only do they look cool, they're cheap and a great way to do your bit for your favorite cause.
   • If you want to help the developing world, the best charities are ones which help people to help themselves. These do the most good by enabling communities to strengthen and improve themselves. Examples of charities that do work like this are Heifer International, Kiva, or Free the Children. Education charities, like One Laptop Per Child, are also good.
2. Shop carefully. Businesses are some of the most important and influential organizations in the world today. They are involved with, or in some way influence, almost any issue you can think of and can sometimes be even more influential than governments in those issues. Luckily, you have opportunities every day to encourage businesses to do the right thing. Every time you buy something, you are giving your approval for whatever process was involved in its production. The next time you're in the grocery store, take an extra look at the labels.
   
   • Take a close look at your options. Ask yourself questions: "Do I want to support this type of business?" "Are the farmers or factory workers that made this treated well?" "Is this product traded fairly?" "Is it healthy?" "Is it good for the environment?" "Does the sale of this product help support an oppressive political regime?"
3. Take part in blood donations. Many countries (especially Australia, Britain, Canada, and the United States) frequently experience record lows of blood stores and desperately need more people to donate. It only takes about half an hour and doesn't hurt (much!).^[6] Visit Red Cross or United Blood Services for more information.^[7]
   
4. Become an advocate. Speak up about injustices in the world and get your friends involved, too. Organize fundraisers to help raise money for your chosen charity or cause. If you can't raise money, add your voice to those already campaigning to end poverty, war, injustice, sexism, racism, or corruption in the world. Activism can start at any age. Craig Kielburger was twelve years old when he became an activist for child labour rights. He went on, with his brother, to start Free the Children and Me to We.
   
5. Become an organ donor. You won't need your organs when you are dead, so why not give them to someone who can use them? Save the lives of up to eight people by placing yourself on the organ donors' register in your country.^[8] Talk about the decision with your family and let them know your wishes.
   

[Edit]Helping Protect and Preserve Your Planet

1. Recycle. It's not something only hippies do! Anyone can recycle, and these days just about anything can be recycled—from newspapers and plastic, to computers and old mobile (cell) phones. Encourage your school or workplace to recycle and to use recycled products.^[9]
   
2. Stop driving everywhere! You probably already know that vehicle emissions are bad for the planet. What you may not know is how you can reduce your emissions: Start walking to nearby places. Use public transportation whenever possible. You can also do things like riding a bike to work instead of taking a car. If you need to use a car, consider purchasing one which uses a mix of electricity (a renewable energy source) and gas or only electricity.^[10]
   
3. Reduce your impact on the planet. Reduce your harmful impact on the planet by reusing items and materials when you can, using green products, buying local food and items (supporting your local economy), and conserving resources such as water.^[11] This will help protect the planet and provide a healthy environment for all people who will live on after us.^[12]
   
   • Help others to do the same by educating them about how they can reduce their impact on the planet. Remember: don't be preachy or self-righteous. You're doing this to help the planet, not so you can be smarter or better than your neighbour.
4. Minimize your water usage. Did you know that there will probably be a major water crisis in our lifetimes? The problem is that we consume and use water faster than we can clean old and new water. Help alleviate this problem by taking shorter showers, being careful when washing dishes, not leaving the water running when you brush your teeth, and generally paying attention to how you use water.^[13]
   
   • Another thing to avoid is watering your lawn in the summer. Collect and use gray water for this purpose, as using clean drinking water to water grass is very wasteful.
5. Support animal welfare. All life should be appreciated if humanity is to step forward in our pursuit for a better society. Spend time supporting animal rights, volunteer at your local shelter, or donate to an organization for animal welfare. Keep in mind that most animal suffering happens to farm animals, not pets. Most people forget this, since they can't see the animals they eat. Consider going vegetarian - it's healthier, helps the environment, reduces animal suffering and might actually be cheaper! If you can't imagine being vegetarian, eating less meat also works. Remember, it doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing decision.^[14]
   
   • However, do your research before donating to organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS for short), PETA, or other big-name corporations; sometimes a large percentage of the money will not go to the animals. A great site for comparing charities is http://www.animalcharityevaluators.org/
   • Don't buy animal food for donations. Donating your money directly to the shelter is much better, because the shelter can get food cheaper in bulk and it's hard to plan for donated goods. Fostering an animal for a short period of time is another great way to show your support of animals, and it costs little to no money to do!

[Edit]Helping the People In Your Life

1. Pay it forward.^[15] Seen the movie? Well, just like Haley Joel Osment, you can help others by "paying it forward." Simply do something nice for 3 people (or, preferably, more and with no limit) without being asked, and in return, tell them to do the same to 3 more people. And so on and so on. Imagine if everyone followed through with this and what kind of world it would be!^[16]
   
2. Don’t intentionally hurt others. Imagine a society where every single person did not look to harm another individual. You wouldn't have to lock your doors at night and self-defense would be a thing of the past. You may think one person cannot make a difference. The whole world is just seven billion individuals. Just think, you may inspire someone to be like you and start a chain reaction!
   
3. Laugh and smile! Many believe that laughter is the best medicine you can have.^[17] Not only that, but people who are happy are often more healthy and are lots more fun to be around!^[18] Sharing a smile and a laugh with someone is easy, completely free, and may just make someone's day! When your happiness is contributing to the happiness and well-being of other people and the planet, that's called sustainable happiness!
   

[Edit]Tips

• Don't limit yourself to this article. If you think of another way to change the world: do it!
• Remember, there are may problems that most people don't know about because mainstream news doesn't talk about them. There are still people suffering long after the media stops covering an incident. In Haiti, for instance, many are still left homeless from the January 2010 earthquake.
• Visit your Chamber of Commerce. Ask about local nonprofit organizations to volunteer or donate to.
• Don't forget about individuals. Helping an elderly woman cross the street, holding a door open, and smiling are simple ways you can encourage someone to do the same. Ultimately, you might make the world a happier place through a chain of good intentions.
• Be educated about your cause. If someone asks you a question, you want to know the answer.

[Edit]Warnings

• Don't get too obsessed. If you neglect yourself for your cause, you might prevent yourself from participating in future events.
• Make sure when you donate, you know exactly where the money is going. Ascertain that your information will remain private. There are a lot of scams out there.

[Edit]Related wikiHows

• Change the World As an Individual
• Change Your World for God
• Make a Positive Contribution to the World
• Pay It Forward

[Edit]References

[Edit]Quick Summary

1. ↑ https://www.ted.com/playlists/270/small_ways_to_change_the_world
2. ↑ http://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/06/16/purpose-gift/
3. ↑ http://markmanson.net/passion
4. ↑ https://www.learnhowtobecome.org/career-resource-center/volunteer-and-nonprofit-careers/
5. ↑ https://www.usa.gov/donate-to-charity
6. ↑ https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-to-expect-when-you-give-blood
7. ↑ https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html
8. ↑ https://www.organdonor.gov/register.html
9. ↑ https://www.epa.gov/recycle/how-do-i-recycle-common-recyclables
10. ↑ https://www.epa.gov/transportation-air-pollution-and-climate-change/what-you-can-do-reduce-pollution-vehicles-and-engines
11. ↑ https://wwf.panda.org/get_involved/live_green/
12. ↑ https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_offices/armenia/help_us/eco_help_living/
13. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/houzz/2015/03/31/11-ways-to-save-water-at-home/#2c089458166c
14. ↑ http://www.naiaonline.org/articles/article/what-is-animal-welfare-and-why-is-it-important
15. ↑ http://winklercommunityfoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/101-ways.pdf
16. ↑ https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/the-kindness-blog/2917-50-ways-to-pay-it-forward
17. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200504/laughter-the-best-medicine
18. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456