Impact, introspection and our ideas of success
Author: Faith Lee | Vice President of Initiatives
An introduction to introspection
Thrust into the isolation situation, I have at times felt forced to sit with me, myself and my thoughts. I attempted to welcome the inevitable introspection that this time alone presented, and embrace the opportunity to reflect on our essential choices that allow for the balance of an impactful and happy life. Instead, I found myself burdened with a wave of existentialist contemplation and trepidation, pondering life’s unanswered questions. What world do I want to create for the future? I had never questioned the ideas of happiness and positively impacting the world around me as necessarily mutually exclusive. However, I have often arrived at a crossroads in deciphering where my responsibilities lie in contributing to positive social change.
Our few years at university present an opportunity for self-discovery and serves on its own merit as the nexus between youth and adulthood. In this liminal state of key development, a common experience we find ourselves in is exploring the process of understanding where we as individuals fit in the world beyond university, our hometowns and our close network of friends. Within a tentative stage of our lives, we continually grapple with the uncertainty of our own trajectories, timelines, and what our lives will look like in the imminent future. And, by extension, we call into question what defines our individuality; developing a life independent from our families, establishing our own social networks and moving into employment.
I’ve found that in this global pandemic, many social, political and economic issues are not only brought to our attention but are amplified. During such crises, pre-existing inequalities and deep injustices tend to be developed and perpetuated; those already struggling are placed under increased constraints, while those of privilege are dealt a softened blow.
“I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and offbeat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn't quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.” ― Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
In a society inundated with deeply entrenched social issues, it is not uncommon to feel inclined to focus on a select few. Yet, the pressure that this choice creates can be all-consuming, and we ought to remind ourselves that recognising this potential for change, is in and of itself a very privileged position to be in. The very magnitude of choices, as we look for a purpose and impact to strive for, can be constricting as our indecisiveness about life’s important questions ironically renders us unable to do much about anything. It is important when facing the seemingly insurmountable challenge of bettering the world, to not collapse into despondency.
How do we define ‘success’?
This idea of a central purpose, or multiple purposes, in our lifetime, interplays with our understanding of success, including morally successful. In this light, the idea of success often runs parallel to the concept of our impact. Yet, in seeking metrics for impact I’ve found milestones often revolving around university accolades, internships and a clearly envisioned career pathway. These ‘achievements’ are often driven and informed by our ambition to mark our impact in the world, whether that be through our career choices, studies or interests. Our definitions for success are inevitably iterated as we take the time to think about what brings our lives the most meaning, impact and satisfaction. But, how do we evaluate our actions and this idea of achievement and success of our own impact?
Our sense of purpose
One way we can shape our understanding of success and impact is through being self-aware of what we feel we owe to others, whether this concerns our own family members, fellow Australians, or simply fellow human beings. Everyone experiences different intuitions about the world’s important problems and issues, and in turn how to engage with a largely self-imposed duty to contribute positively to the world. It is incredibly important to recognise the vastness of the world we live in, and that none of us are the protagonists.
“We choose to be good because of our bonds with other people, and our innate desire to treat people with dignity. Simply put, we are not in this alone” ― Chidi from The Good Place (Season 2, Episode 3)
In this light, self-reflection gives rise to the opportunity to cultivate humility and self-awareness, and it is within these spaces that we come to realise that every single one of us is bubbling with insecurity and uncertainty. In a sense, this only makes me feel more compelled to emphasise that we should all be looking out for each other. No singular person has all the world’s answers, but together we are able to support and learn from each other.
Navigating these questions and finding actionable solutions can appear an isolating and solitary endeavour, but I believe this experience fits into a much broader, collective mission. It is easy to feel alone and lost in a sea of colliding social movements, initiatives, projects, and with the ever-expanding community of voices. In these predicaments, the need to use our privileges compassionately, generously and selflessly intertwines with our perceived purpose and the role we play in our wider communities and society.
Interacting with the people around us
The challenge humanity faces today is to build a world in which more people can live rewarding lives. So what does it mean to be successful once I’ve done the introspection of what moral success and success is? And how can we connect the work we do with a purpose?
Meeting people and having great conversations is an important way to break out of the bubble of our limited perspective, to discover and exchange new modes of thinking, ways of being, perspectives on the greater good and expanding the parameters of what life, our life, can offer. From this increasingly rich set of perspectives, we have the opportunity to draw upon a more informed view of the change that we want to make – and one that intersects with the actual needs and desires of those around us, all while building stronger bonds and communities.
As burgeoning adults, we can find ourselves deep in an introspective and self-reflective process that extends to anything and everything. We can feel caught between reminiscing on our past actions and experiences, or alternatively looking into what the future holds. When the overwhelming weight of what the future holds kicks in every once in a while, it can be hard to feel a sense of power or a capability to really make an impact, especially when it feels as though there is hardly sufficient time to do everything justice. Navigating our self-perception and acknowledging this journey towards self-actualisation often comes from greater sense of purpose, which for me, has almost arrived as a result of taking the time to self reflect on who I am and what I want to bring to the table, as a human and as part of humanity what I believe I owe to others.
The universe doesn’t offer us a definitive answer to the questions raised throughout this piece, and in saying this, there is only so much we are able to unequivocally know. What we do know and have though is a sense of collective humanity and humility, and in using our privilege, resources and education we can compassionately make an impact and support those around us.
Staying actively curious, informed and engaged is a basic start to breaking down the notion of what social impact means and looks like to us. Here is a list of some accessible and digestible media that has left me with some food for thought:
Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj (Full series available on Netflix)
The Good Place (Full series available on Netflix)
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Harari
Philosophize This! Episode #105 – Sartre and Camus pt. 6 – The Self
Effective Altruism
On Being podcast with Jacqueline Novogratz “Towards a Moral Revolution”