The past few posts have focused on various aspects of the financial system - from money creation to debt to university endowments. In case you see a theme developing, it’s time for a bit of a change with this post; I wanted to share some personal reflections on impact.
“You can’t take it with you when you go”
Whenever I see this phrase, I’m reminded of Zain Bhika’s song. In the song he talks about grand displays of wealth, and then reminds people that they are only on the earth for a limited time with the line, “You can’t take it with you when you go”. The phrase is obviously true but it doesn’t remind you to focus on what you can take with you.
What you can take with you?
A simple answer is: contributions that will bear fruits when you’re no longer alive.
In this post I’m not talking about having grand plans that maximise the amount of impact we can have. Some frameworks tackle this question - for example, the concept of Ikigai. It suggests you should pursue a career that fulfills these conditions:
- Something you’re good at
- Something you love
- Something the world needs
- Something you can get paid for
These can take a long time to figure out, and this knowledge is likely only gained through experience. Whilst we’re figuring out the answers to these questions, there are opportunities to contribute.
We spend most of our lives trying to climb a ladder of some sort (e.g. school, corporate, social), but often don’t take time to reflect on the journey and to contribute before ‘making it’. I think all impact is ultimately interpersonal - a good way of contributing is to nurture others, and encourage them to do the same. You don’t have to be at the top of a field - you just need to be able to teach something, no matter how small. In fact, teaching someone to someone only a few years behind you may be more impactful. As James Clear says:
It’s almost always better to learn from peers who are 2 years ahead of you than mentors who are 20 years ahead of you. Life evolves and most insights are outdated
Re-orientation
In shifting the focus towards giving, the question of what you can take with you becomes clearer. The practicalities of how people do this will vary - it might be structured mentoring, or simply raising good children. In summary, we all need to be teachers in one way or another.
Note: this is just one way of making an impact, not the only way. Other ‘higher leverage’ ways include pursuing knowledge, establishing organisations, or reforming institutions. However, we should also be nurturing others whilst doing these.