You cannot serve from a distance. You can only truly serve those causes and communities to which you are authentically connected. And examining your life and experiences makes you an authentic and empathetic advocate, activist, artist, and entrepreneur. Because your greatest contribution is going to be deeply seeded in the experiences that most profoundly shaped you.
Why Your Experiences Matter:
Your experiences point to the people you are uniquely positioned to serve and the problems you are uniquely positioned to solve. As a social entrepreneur, this element of your identity is a resource that is unique to you, and plays a formative role in your social impact. Because…
a. Your experiences shape you.
We have all had various experiences that have had a significant effect on who we are. But the experience itself is not as important as the meaning you assign to it. So it’s important that in every situation, you ask what you’ve learned from it, and how you can use it for your benefit and the benefit of others. This alone provides you with a distinct perspective that can add tremendous value to those around you.
b. Your experiences connect you.
Your audience will connect most authentically with you based on your shared experiences. If they see themselves in your story - if they currently are where you have been - they will hope to learn from you to get to where you currently are or where you're heading. Your experience is valuable when it comes to mentorship and representation. In shaping what the next generation imagines to be possible in their own lives. And ultimately, people want to connect with someone who is genuine, relatable, and real.
c. Your experiences direct you.
Your circumstances, successes, and setbacks all play a critical role in pointing you in the direction of your greatest impact. Your most profound experiences can help you discover and unlock your greatest contribution.
How to Analyze Your Experiences:
In the archeology of your life, you want to pay attention to the people, events, and activities that stir up the strongest response in you. And start to consider how those experiences shaped you, and how you can use those experiences for the benefit of others. Because while those experiences are important, what’s more important is the meaning that you assign to them, and how you decide you’ll use those experiences moving forward. So in every condition ask yourself:
“What have I (or can I) learn from this?”
“What did this teach me about myself?”
“How was this designed to make me better?”
“How can I use this for the benefit of others?”
Now, in order to be methodical about this, you’ll want to examine your experiences in three categories: Your circumstances, your setbacks, and your successes.
1. Circumstances
“Fate is the raw material of experience. They come uninvited and often unanticipated. Destiny is what a man does with these raw materials." -Howard Thurman
Circumstances describe the conditions or context that shape you. These include your home life, friendships, faith, culture, economics, travels, etc. Identify how those circumstances shaped you. And then think about how you can use your circumstances to connect to others who experienced similar circumstances.
Daniel Lubetzy, Kind Snacks: Dan is the child of two holocaust survivors. Having seen first hand the traumatic and generational effects on his family and culture, he was determined to prevent the sort of genocide for future generations. So he produced his healthy foods in a factory that brought Palestinians and Israelis together, to foster interdependence and economic diplomacy, in order to bring a little bit of peace to the Middle East.
2. Setbacks
“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” -C.S. Lewis
"Setbacks" are the challenges or struggles you’ve faced. These include the failures, disadvantages, tragedies, and mistakes, that played a significant role in your life. When you identify your setbacks, and how they shaped you, think about how you can use the pain from your past to improve someone else's future.
Dave Gilboa, Warby Parker: Dave was a student when he lost his glasses on a back-packing trip. The cost of replacing them was so high that he spent his first semester of grad school without them. But this was 200 year old technology, so why were they so expensive? It turns out there's a simple explanation. The eyewear industry is dominated by a single company that has been able to keep prices artificially high while reaping huge profits from consumers who don’t have other options. So they created an alternative. By bypassing traditional channels, designing glasses in-house, and engaging with customers directly, Warby Parker was able to provide higher-quality, better-looking prescription eyewear for a fraction of the price. And make this necessary product available to underserved communities around the world at prices they could afford. This simple little idea, by some students, disrupted a billion-dollar industry.
3. Successes
“You are not a true success unless you are helping others be successful." -Jon Gordon
“Successes” describe the victories or triumphs you’ve achieved. These include your advantages, victories, achievements, and lessons. When you identify these areas, and how they shaped you, think about how you can use the success you achieved to create success for someone else.
Derrius Quarles, Million Dollar Scholar: Derrius became a first generation college student that secured over $1M in college scholarships. He had spent 13 years of his childhood in foster care and public housing. As a result, he had a keen understanding of how poverty, income inequality, and disenfranchisement impact lives. He won the scholarship game; his business helps others do the same.
Harness the Power of Your Experiences
Social entrepreneurship is a deeply personal journey. And it starts with a personal, and often painful recognition of an injustice or suffering. But this inspires you to tap into your innate resources; understand the root causes of the pain or injustice; envision a better way; build a new model; and share those solutions at scale. So as a social entrepreneur, you will examine your experiences, in order to identify the people you are uniquely positioned to serve, and the problems you are uniquely positioned to solve. Because those will help you identify your passion, and unlock the power of your empathy.
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