I gave a talk last week to an industry conference. I wasn’t trying to persuade anybody to Change The World “my way” – whatever that might be – but to find their own way.
Follow their own instincts, use their own talents.
There’d been quite a bit of friendly joking about my talk beforehand (the words “hippy-dippy” were used occasionally). That’s fine. I’m happy with it.
And I would have understood if everybody was so wrapped up in the real problems of their work, and private lives, to pay much attention to me.
But the time came for me to deliver my talk.
I tried to emphasise that contemplating the question “how to change the world?” is a means to raise your game – to make whatever you’re doing even more significant and generally wonderful.
Before I finished, I said: “You could write the question on a piece of paper and put it in your pocket. That way, you might rediscover it every so often…”
On the way home from the conference, I met one of the attendees. He pulled from his pocket this hand-written note:
I was very pleased.
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As well as the chandelier pictured above, I managed during my brief visit to sketch two more pictures:
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TEDx Athens, 2012: How To Change The World
My best-selling book, in 18 mins of speech.
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Correction: Actually, I drew three more pictures. I drew this in my hotel to explain that I had forgotten to bring a plug for continental electricity supply. If you find yourself abroad and need the same, please help yourself: