WEEK TWO:  Become the Change You Wish to See

 

Main Ideas and Topics of the Week:

If I were to sum up this week in one phrase it would be, “Do good better.”  Social innovation has many definitions but I liked how the Ballard Center states its core concepts as being sustainable, scalable, and replicable.

 

I need to look at what I gifts and talents I have and how that translates into social innovation.  Social innovation is broken onto three categories.  Picture it as a pyramid with the top being the smallest portion, social entrepreneurs.  These are the people with the ideas that blaze trails.  The next part of the pyramid is double the size of the first, they are the social intrapreneurs or implementers.  They are the ones who take the great ideas and put them into motion.  They carry out the mission.  The last part of the pyramid is double the size of the second, they are the volunteers and donors.  This group are those who give of their time, talents and money to make the world a better place.

 

Social innovation has two key objectives.  First the issue area; something we would like to fix, eliminate or see more of.  This desire is usually led by personal attachment to the issue. Second, Personal contribution; what is a gift I have that I can bless the lives of others with.

ISSUE AREA: 

What am I passionate about solving or helping in society?

Who is currently addressing this problem and how?

PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION:

What are my skills and talents?

How will I gain the experience needed to build competency in this area?

 

Reflection:

In the article written by Lara Galinsky she points out that not everyone should be a social entrepreneur.  This thought motivated me. In the short time I have been on this class the ideas I have been learning about get me excited, but I don’t feel like I am one who has out of the box, life changing ideas.  However, what I do have is my desire to make a difference and all the gifts that I personal possess.  

There was one paragraph in particular that stuck out to me, “But social entrepreneurs alone cannot change the world. They need artists, volunteers, development directors, communications specialists, donors, and advocates across all sectors to turn their groundbreaking ideas into reality. They need fundraisers, supporters who can change policies, someone to create a brochure describing their work. If everyone wants to start a new organization, who is going to do all the work?”

This is the type of work I can do.  I am an organizer, a systems implementer, I can do the work.

 

Writing Prompt:

What connections do you see between Jeffrey Thompson’s article, the gospel, and social innovation?

 

Jeffrey Thompson said that there are five heresies associated with finding your calling in life.  First, it is only through luck that you find your calling.  Second, there is only one true calling.  Third, when you find your calling, it will be bliss. Fourth, a calling means the world will take notice.  Fifth, meaningfulness in life is to be found at work.

 

The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us that we should “be anxiously engaged in a good cause…and the power is in them” (D&C 58:27-28).  To me this means that as a child of God I have purpose as well as the power to manifest my purpose.  This purpose will not be fulfilled by luck, rather by hard work. It is work to find your gifts and it is work to pursue those gifts.  I can find meaning in every contribution I make, large or small and I don’t need the world to tell me I am enough.  I am enough through my Savior Jesus Christ if I am willing to be my best in whatever I am called to do. I love this quote from Brother Thompson, “…Perhaps the state of our hearts is as important as the tasks we do in determining whether our work is truly- and eternally- meaningful.”  Whether our work is inside the home or outside of our homes if our heart is not doing it out of the love of our Father and his eternal plan we need to adjust our outlook. 

 

Social innovation allows these two worlds to collide.  The world of spiritual progression and temporal progression.  We can serve God and his children as well as take care of our temporal needs when we use the basic concepts of social innovation to guide our hearts and actions to do good better. 

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