If you’re looking to stand out in your industry, a focus on making an impact over income can take your career to unimaginable heights. Here are four steps to getting started:
Identify an Untapped Need or Overlooked Opportunity
Is there something missing from a well-known process in your industry? What are the issues in your field that people ignore or refuse to talk about? Have you found a way to challenge or change “tried and true” practices that no longer work in your industry? Can you simplify an over-complicated process?
Put People, Not Products at the Heart of Everything You Do
Martin Luther King is a perfect example of someone who painted a clear vision and gathered people together for a common cause. Even today, MLK’s I Have a Dream speech empowers people to take action.
To get started, rally people around your vision and make sure it’s easy for them to communicate at least three key messages: Who are the people that can benefit the most from this change? What are the benefits of supporting this movement? What transformative results can they expect? Which habits do they need to break to achieve success?
Amplify Your Voice Across a Variety of Channels
Use blogs, videos, news articles, podcast interviews, or live events to amplify your voice. Be bold and unapologetic when you talk about why the status quo should be challenged. What evidence can you share to change the conversation about an untapped need in your area? What’s holding people back from success? How can you best demonstrate a new way of thinking or approach? What tools can people use to succeed?
Don’t Complain, Create
Mahatma Gandhi said it best: Be the change that you’d like to see. Provide a clear direction or steps for people to follow: How can you cultivate a collaborative environment, event, or platform for people to learn, connect, and exchange information? How can you create an opportunity for them to pay it forward in ways that spread your brand’s key messages?