Here's How You Change the World

I'm in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The sun is high in the sky. No clouds in site and it is hot with that dry heat that everyone says isn't so bad. It really isn't that bad but that's mainly because I'm at a resort and not because of my tolerance for heat.

I'm thinking about the weekend that I just had and there's one thought that continues to occupy space in my brain. Before I go there I should probably tell you what the heck I'm doing in Scottsdale, Arizona at a resort that makes the sweltering desert heat feel okay.

Last Friday my phone buzzed to a notification that someone had nominated me for the Act 2 Network Impact Planing Retreat. As my eyes scanned the email I saw who'd nominated me and where the retreat was so I didn't hesitate to accept the invite and booked some flights to Arizona. Not knowing what the expect I came ready to experience great moments and meet great new people.

And that is kind of what happened.

That thought that I can't get out of my brain right now. "This is how you change the world."

What is Act 2?

If you land on the Act 2 website this is what you'd find: "The Act 2 Network was created by?Schmidt Futures ?to amplify the impact of exceptional executives, technologists, and entrepreneurs working to solve humanity's greatest challenges."

If you ask me what Act 2 is, I'd tell you that it's a group of exceptional and amazing people doing good things. The goal of Act 2 seems to be to bring these good people together.

When these are the types of people you are bringing together, something really special can happen. There is great power in convening good people doing good things.

Here's where the world changing comes in

That thought I've been having. The one that I can't get out of my head. "This is how you change the world."

Here's why I can't stop thinking about it. The group of people here at this retreat are not all from the same place or field or mindset or background. In fact, there seems to be every kind of impact work you can think of represented here and there's only about 40 of us here.

My biggest takeaway is this that massive change happens in the world when we consistently and consciously exit our industry silo to intentionally learn from others who've made the same choice. As an education innovator, I know that I frequently push and advocate for my contemporaries to look beyond the field of education for answers. But this is a step beyond looking. This is actually a step. Like physically into a space with other people.

The assortment of unique humans in the same rooms together created the conditions for me to say that convening again is how we will change the world.

There's a gravity to being in the same room. COVID has taken this from us for two years but if you can figure out how to safely convene good people you will feel the gravity pulling you out of your silo.

How I'm leaving; What I'm going to do

I'm headed back home today. I am ecstatic to see my family and play with my kids and relax with my wife and just be still again.

But I'm leaving with a smile and some massive inspiration. Inspiration to do what? So glad you asked?

To create these moments over and over and over again.

We've heard and experienced "sparks" or triggering events or moments of inspiration that are the inception of something beautiful and important.

I believe these moments can be engineered. I think we can set up the situation where we can bet on this happening. I think that I can create the conditions for more sparks to occur.

When sparks occur the world changes.