Hi friend,

How are you? What’s your world about these days?

A friend in social impact asked me recently, “What do you want to show up for, and why?”

I had been talking about some disappointments I’d had in impact work lately – a collaboration that didn’t work out, some actions from others that threw me for a loop – and explaining that these missteps tend to hit me extra hard because a huge lifeline for me through this complicated, sometimes bleak-looking work is partnering with wonderful people in warm, positive, and aligned efforts.

While my friend didn’t dismiss my truth, she posed a gentle challenge by asking, disappointments aside, what do I hold onto to keep me motivated when aspects of the work don’t go my way?

And honestly — there’s never been a better time to ask that question.

For some of us, it’s been years, even decades, of working to avoid the exact moment we find ourselves in now with division at a fever pitch, economic and opportunity gaps widening, bigotries exploited, and a democracy that feels fragile. Many of us are still showing up, but we’re doing so scared, stressed, and doubtful that our career paths will survive this moment. We’ve tried, and we’re tired. A liberated, sustainable world might be our biggest, deepest incentive to do the work we do, but in the absence of immediate wins, one has to wonder — are the simpler, more personal motivators actually the more important stepping stones on our impact journeys?

This is where my friend’s journal-y prompt about what keeps us engaged is a gamechanger. We’ll never be able to fully control the outside factors that inform our work, whether it’s a major political upheaval or a collaboration that changes course. But with some reflection and self-awareness, each of us can start to better understand the personal drivers that keep us committed to pursuing positive social change, and turn to them when we need reasons to keep going.

Here are a few of my own:

People. No matter what happens, people are the heartbeat of my drive to contribute to well-meaning work. From my most intimate relationships to the broadest cross-sections of society, I care about enabling and fiercely protecting the best possible version of the human experience – freedom, fairness, reciprocity, kindness, safety, and meaningful exchange being a few hallmarks. For me, this kind of humanity is what life is all about, and working to foster it for others and myself is a huge part of what keeps me showing up.

Authenticity. Honesty, realness, originality, and integrity are everything to me, and in an era that delights in silencing the truth and AI-ing everything beyond human touch, I often feel genuinely out of place. But social impact, for its many imperfections, still strikes me as a space where truth-telling and genuine human perspectives remain respected shared values. That means a lot, and it keeps me interested in seeing what’s possible through human creativity and truth.

Empowerment. I truly believe that an empowered individual can do almost anything — that’s why oppression hates to see one coming! I’m motivated by the thought of helping people be their best selves, for themselves, each other, and the communities around them. In social impact, where we have regular opportunities to give communities and individuals the things they say they need, we can stoke and champion personal empowerment among even the most vulnerable people. For me, that’s a privilege, and a gift.

Intention. I am, among other things in my life, a strategist, and I love strategy because it’s about approaching whatever you’re doing in the most thoughtful possible way. We are living through an age where impulsivity is encouraged. Between knee-jerk social media posts and emotional policy stances (we love emotions, but the thing about them is…they change), you’d think we live in a consequence-free world. Let’s be clear — there is plenty of room for sharper strategy in social impact work. But any space where I see people trying hard to be intentional about how their work impacts others is one that would make me think twice about leaving.

I believe that having a career in social impact is a compromise – between you and you. Your values and your ambition, your vision and your surrender, your self-care and your sacrifice all eventually have to shake out it in a way that serves you as well as others. While none of us knows exactly where our work will take us, understanding our motivators can help us find the energy and equilibrium to make it through another day.

What’s on your list of personal motivators? Values? People? Needs? Ideas?

May you find what lights you up in the darkness, and stay driven.

With love,

In case you missed it

I’ve always maintained that career-ing in social change work is a different experience from engaging with it off-the-clock. As I wonder if this is going to be a moment when we see more people get personally motivated to explore this kind of work, I put together a few truths to know before diving in. Check them out here.

Your Space

We welcome your thoughts, ideas, and experiences about life in the business of impact. Reach out via email at [email protected] or on Signal at @issuespace.24

And With That…

💜 

Join the Space

💌 Are you on the mailing list to receive this letter? If not, sign up here.

🎧 Hear the Issue Space podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and these platforms. We feature diverse social impact pros on the lived experience of social change work.

🤝 Wanna team up? Brands or organizations who might connect with our community can send partnership inquiries to [email protected].

🗣️  Have an insight about life in the business of impact or an idea for the Space? We’d love to hear from you! Hit that button and get in touch! 👇