We cannot change the world, huh?

My friend Hannah argued with me today that no one can change the world on his/her own, that we are infinitesimal drops in the ocean of life… I sent her an email:

"Why do you think that?

Look at the people who, you think, have enormously changed the world – have had a great impact. Make a list. I don’t know, for example Jesus, or Gandhi, or Mother Theresa, Bill Gates, Henri Ford, Simone Weil, Camus, Picasso, politicians or dissidents whose names you will know better than I do, etc (one could put hundreds of names there I imagine).

Then ask yourself: what did they have in themselves that makes that they changed the world? I think it will give you clues on what it is you need to do if you want to change the world. A few possible answers that come to me randomly:

• They had a VISION that they alone had (I am sure that "everybody" told them that they were crazy, or idealists, or dreamers, I am sure that they had to go through lots of mockery)
• They did NOT believe like you right now that they could not have a massive impact on the world
• They worked without respite all their life – or a big part of their life – to turn this vision of theirs into reality, despite the many, many obstacles
• They destroyed all the "monsters" on their path: fears, doubts, critics, etc
• They were, I think, men /women of integrity, and gave themselves entirely to their mission
• They were totally plugged in to their "little voice" inside (vs. listening to all the loud voices outside!)

Just my 2 cents… self-realization is a fascinating process.... it is what life is about I think."