From What If to How Do We? – Lessons From Saving a Forest

The Power of Asking "What If?"

Every success story begins with someone asking a simple question: "What if?" At first glance, these "what if" questions may seem like flights of fancy, utopian dreams disconnected from reality. But they hold immense power to transform the world around us.

When a group of concerned citizens in our community set out to save a beloved 65,000-acre forest from logging, their journey began with a "what if" question: "What if we could save this forest?" This deceptively simple query set in motion a process that would ultimately preserve the forest and the community's water source and create sustainable local jobs.

Unlocking the Possibilities

As we grapple with global challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss, "what if" questions can help us move beyond our entrenched thinking and focus on painting a vivid picture of a future we can work toward. These thought experiments may propose seemingly wild solutions, but this kind of unbounded imagination can lead to transformative change.

The key is to then ask the follow-up question: "Why can't we?" This is a crucial step because it forces us to confront the barriers and objections that stand in the way of realizing our vision. By identifying who or what hinders progress, we can ask, "Why does that particular group disagree?" Understanding their perspective is vital to crafting solutions that address their concerns.

Inclusive Visioning

An integral part of the "why can't we" process is to frame the "what if" questions in a way that avoids binary thought patterns. Instead of presenting an either/or scenario, we can ask, "What if we could do both?" For example, in the case of the forest, the question evolved from "What if we could save the forest?" to "What if we could save the forest, preserve our community water source, and create sustainable local jobs?"

By creating an inclusive vision of the possibilities and removing the either/or barriers, we increase the likelihood of buy-in from all stakeholders. When people feel their perspectives have been heard and their needs have been considered, they become motivated to work together to find solutions.

The "How Do We?" Approach

Once a shared vision has been established, the next step is to move from "what if" to "how do we?" This is where the real work begins, as we translate our aspirations into concrete action steps. By including diverse voices in this co-creation process, we develop a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges ahead and devise more resilient, enduring solutions.

In the case of the forest, the "how do we?" approach led to the creation of a 65,000-acre park and sustainable jobs through a community forest initiative that supplied high-quality lumber to specialty manufacturers such as for making musical instruments. This innovative approach satisfied the needs of multiple stakeholders, from environmental advocates to local workers and businesses.

From the Forest to the World

The lessons we learned from saving the forest can also be applied to tackling global challenges. When faced with the seemingly insurmountable problems of our time, we can start by asking "what if" questions that paint a picture of a better future. By exploring the "why can't we" barriers and crafting inclusive "how do we" solutions, we can unlock the collective power to transform our world.

Whether combating climate change, preserving biodiversity, or promoting social justice, the key is approaching these challenges with an open mind, a willingness to listen, and a commitment to collaborative problem-solving. By harnessing the power of "what if" thinking and translating it into concrete action, we can move beyond the paralysis of despair and embrace the hope of a better tomorrow.

So, let us ask ourselves: "What if we could save the world?" And then let us roll up our sleeves and work on the "how do we?" Because when we dare to dream and then put in the hard work, there is no limit to what we can achieve.