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Hey everyone. Hope all is well.
War, natural disasters, poverty, civil unrest, refugee crises, terrorism.
It is very easy to become overwhelmed by the global challenges we are exposed to on a daily basis.
“I’m freaking out!”
Don’t freak out.
“But the world is terrifying”
Don’t freak out.
Freaking out puts emotion above rational thought.
It creates a sense of urgency.
It allows knee-jerk reactions.
It risks the making of mistakes and it can lead to burning out.
Today I want to tell you just one simple thing: play the long game.
To play the long game is to understand that protests & rallies are just a starting point;
An opportunity to network with others and to organise for the onward journey.
To play the long game is to resist becoming addicted to the instant gratification that
technology can so easily provide us with.
To play the long game is to acknowledge that Rome wasn’t built in a day and the biggest
achievements throughout history in civil and political rights took sustained and determined efforts.
To play the long game is not to say that short term tasks aren’t also important,
but that they are much more effective if used as stepping stones to help reach
a larger overarching goal.
To play the long game is to discuss & debate ideas on its own merits,
without throwing around labels and insults.
Don’t just tell someone they are wrong, explain why they could be.
And don’t shame others, instead build common ground
so they have a way of walking over to your side.
To play the long game is to look after your mental health and wellbeing.
It is okay to step away and take time out to enjoy life whether that be meditating,
going for walks or playing computer games.
Is it a privilege to have that opportunity in life?
Sure, but that doesn’t mean you should feel guilty because of it.
Taking regular breaks improves your health and long-term performance,
so it’s a worthwhile investment!
To play the long game is to appreciate that government institutions
have checks and balances for a reason.
Although many are frustrated by a seemingly slow political system, the solution is not
to dismantle the mechanisms used to hold elected officials to account and prevent executive-overreach.
Doing so may help politicians achieve the things that you want in the short term, but
it leaves behind a very dangerous precedent.
The play the long game is to be skeptical when someone in power presents a very simple
solution to a very complicated issue.
especially if it comes without evidence.
To play the long game is to respect that we all have our own battles to fight.
So plan your goals and ambitions in a way that doesn’t load
too much on your own shoulders in the now.
And appreciate that the diversity of tactics we all engage in, actually strengthen our
chances of achieving common goals.
To play the long game, is to connect with people from all walks of life, with different
skill sets who are working on a variety of causes.
This means when you are unable to help someone in need on a particular project, you can link
them up with a person who is ideal for the task, instead of just saying no.
And finally, to play the long game is to understand that the short term efforts of other people,
may in fact be the creation of a piece to a puzzle that you aren’t yet able to see.
On a personal note, last year I decided to play the long game.
I left a well paid job at a media organisation and instead of following the easy path of
working for another, I decided to setup my own.
Now I could make videos reporting on daily world events & news - all very important,
but there are already so many people doing this.
Instead, I’m trying to create a media company that seeks to educate about society’s need
to evolve its mainstream value systems.
In a world where outrage and drama gets so much attentions and money, creating a project
around nuance is a lot less sexy.
Therefore it’s going to take a lot of time and resources, but i’m committed.
And if it all works out, i’ll be making a much more positive impact on the world in
3 years time, than if I were to just reach for low hanging fruit instead.
To play the long game is to make life’s journey that little bit more exciting, and
I thank you all out there who have chosen to join me on that journey.
So let me know in the comments section of this video about the long term goals you are
currently working towards.
Be sure to press that like & share button if you’d be so kind.
And on that note, keep playing the long game.
I will see you next week. Adios ‘til next time!