On the anniversary of 9/11, let's reflect on our own freedom to choose

It's the anniversary of?9/11, and it's time to reflect on what's really important in our world right now, and to think about our role as leaders.

On September 11, 2001, tragedy turned our world upside down. I watched in horror as the second tower came down, and we waited as we learned of other potential attacks.??In an instant, almost 3000 people from 70 countries perished, and many more suffered and died (and still suffer) from the aftermath of toxic smoke, and debris.

Wondering if we were under attack as a nation, and seeing the horror in the streets of Manhattan,?the people of the US (and many around the world) came together in the midst of tragedy.?

It was a time of great sorrow and solidarity.

One man mobilized a heroic effort to thwart terrorists?on a flight heading toward Washington D.C. and succeeded only by losing their own lives in a fiery crash in Pennsylvania. Imagine mobilizing a group of strangers, prioritizing the lives of others, when their own lives were at stake. They played a "bigger game". A higher game.

Many others stepped up to play a "bigger game",?driving in from all over the country to support the search and rescue, and to support the families of those who lost their lives.

What is this "Bigger Game"?

The Bigger Game model was developed by Laura Whitworth and Rick Tamlyn, partially in response to the events of 9/11.?They had this deep hunger to find ways to intentionally ACTIVATE this kind of BOLD action to address not just tragedies like 9/11 - but to get ahead of them.?To address real-world challenges before they turn into fiery infernos, floods, famines, acts of brutality, and desperation.

What Rick and Laura realized was that the capacity to play a "bigger game" is something that lives in all of us. We just need a way to activate it.

Sometimes, we get an existential wake-up call that plunges us headfirst into a moment of truth, a bigger game. More recently, the pandemic launched us into the unknown, and we HAD to step up at home, and at work.

But what if we could tap into that energy and hunger for change on a daily basis?

What if we could feel that innate sense of commitment and purpose - to act courageously, mobilizing a kind of "inner activism" to address issues - big and small -?at work?

Actually, we can. If we dare.

If we dare to go deeper into our own hunger for change that matters, in our workplaces, in our communities, and in our world.

We can be the change we want to see.?

This may seem cliche at this point, but when we think about it, we know it's true.

How will we act in the face of challenge? Chaos? Life?        

Each of us has an inner changemaker within us. We can take action.?

__________________________________________________________________________

Special September Challenge: Come learn how the Bigger Game can help improve your work, and maybe even your life.

If you want to power-up your change-making skills, join us.

3 Mondays * 1 hour per week = > Your Bigger Game

You are invited to join me,?Melissa O'Mara on?Zoom ?for the next 3 Mondays at Noon EST to name and claim your "Bigger Game" - and get "powered up"?to lead change that matters to you at work.

RSVP

Come learn how the Bigger Game can help improve your work, and maybe even your life.

Here's how it changed mine:

This week in the Changemakers@Work?Open House (Free for September ONLY!):

• Monday 9/12 @ 11:30 - Noon EDT?- Mindful Mondays: Connect at the beginning of each week with a group of other busy professionals committed to taking weekly small actions in order to take back control of their time and energy! Optionally, stick around for another 15 minutes to share your weekly intention with other changemakers.
• Monday 9/12 @ Noon - 1PM EDT?-?Monday?Power-Up: September Bigger Game?Challenge: Join other Changemakers for the next 3 Mondays in September for the?Bigger Game Power-Up Challenge?and grow your impact - week by week.
• Wednesday 9/14 @ 3 - 3:45PM EDT?-?Ask Me Anything:?Have a challenging situation at work related to leading change? Want some expert guidance navigating a particular conversation? Join Melissa for a 45-minute session where she will answer as many questions as time allows.
• Friday 9/16 @ 11:30 - Noon EDT - Flashback Fridays: 15-minute check-outs to end your week with a clear head so that you can start your weekend feeling like you can truly get away from work. Optionally, stay for another 15 minutes to connect and share progress and learnings with peers.

Come join us in?the Open House Learning Space , and see the entire event calendar.?

• And the bonus??When you join our FREE?Changemakers@Work "Open House" , you will be offered our Pioneer rate - a lifetime discounted membership if you join the paid community by September 30th!?