How to Matter (You Already Do)

by Robin Cangie

When I was 11, my teacher showed me an adaptation of Loren Eiseley’s famous essay The Star Thrower. “I thought you would like this,” she said, pulling me aside before recess. I never forgot the story, nor that my teacher had thought to share it with me. I still think of it when I begin to feel that the world is too big, and that I am too small to make a difference.

The story goes like this (full adaptation here): A wise man was walking along the beach and saw a young man throwing small objects into the ocean. He approached the young man and asked him what he was doing. The young man replied,

"Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one.”

We live in a time of great uncertainty, and this has always been the case. The Great Recession may have thrown this fact into starker relief than usual, but we humans have never had as much control over our own destinies as we like to believe.

It doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference. It means, in fact, that you must. Whatever action you can take – whether it’s volunteering time, donating money, or even something as simple as taking your lunch to work in a reusable bag, it will matter, even if it doesn’t seem like enough.

The truth is, it will never be enough. There will always be more work to do, so if that’s the only thing holding you back, let it go right now. Recognize that you matter, that what you do matters, and act. In a world where our largest institutions have continually shown themselves unable or unwilling to do the same, individuals acting boldly might just be the best chance we have.

What Does a 21st-Century Business Look Like?

by Robin Cangie

Last week I wrote about the potential of the social web to empower, uplift and inspire, especially for companies and individuals who know how to harness the power of group behavior. It sounds grand in theory, of course, but this week, I want to come down from the realm of ideas and take a closer look at the ways that Bolder, Kickstarter, Edot and many other companies are enacting real social change on the social web (not just blogging about it).

The missions and business models of these companies vary widely, but there are three main things that they all have in common:

1. They depend on the social web. There’s nothing brick-and-mortar about these companies – they thrive on digital interactions. Without the ability to reach millions of people regardless of geography and time zone, the model just wouldn’t work.

2. They challenge traditional relationships between institutions and individuals. Rather than stick to the traditional advertise/buy/sell model of most institutions, Bolder asks individuals and organizations to make a difference together. Kickstarter democratizes the process of obtaining venture capital for artists and entrepreneurs. And Edot is founded on the simple, elegant premise that if everyone does just one thing to make the world better every day, then the world will actually get better.

3. They ask users to take some kind of action for a higher purpose. This is a big one. Unlike most institutions, they don’t, indeed can’t exist purely to perpetuate themselves and their profits. They depend on their users to engage and help shape a vision of the greater good, and it’s the strength of that vision – much more than the strength of the balance sheet – that determines whether the business sinks or swims.

In short, this is what a 21st-century business, one that’s based on mattering, not revenue, looks like. This is a big topic, and there’s lots more to discuss. Do you agree? Disagree? Have something to add? Please share your ideas in the comments.

- Robin Cangie is very excited to contribute to the Bolder blog. She writes about 21st-century prosperity, institutional transformation and whatever is on her mind at robinoula.com. Follow her on Twitter at @robinoula.