The Power of One
The Power of One in The Age of Social Media
The very nature of the industry made it nearly impossible for one person to make a difference without an agent and a crew.
Nowadays, that is no longer the case. One person with an iPhone can make a huge difference with minimal cost. Case in point: Nuseir Yassin, or Nas, as he is known on Facebook.
© Lyn Averson, Mount Studio via Wikimedia Commons
Beginning in 2017, Nas started posting a one-minute video to Facebook every day. Every. Single. Day. His page, Nas Daily, currently has over 110 million views and growing every day. He has traveled non-stop for a year and created content that has led him to be dubbed a social media influencer.
In his life, this translates to being comped rooms, airline tickets, and more. It also means people are paying attention to what he says. His messages are of hope, community, and love. A Harvard graduate who, at 25, was working for Venmo, he realized his life was “32%” over and decided to make sure that he didn’t spend the rest of his life sitting at a desk.
His personal goal is to make one million friends on Facebook, and make one million dollars before he is thirty. He is already well on his way.
Social media gives each one of us more influence and power than ever before, and with that power comes responsibility. Nas and others like him are making a difference and using their influence to shift the collective mindset world-wide. Nas has shot a video in over 25 countries now, including Japan, Italy, and Thailand. He has brought attention to important issues and worked to break down barriers. His simple one-minute commentary is broadening minds and closing gaps that divide people.
Social media is a platform for anyone, anywhere, to be heard on matters that mean the most to them. A common phrase heard repeated around the world is “Youtube and Google know everything”. This means you can be a part of the collective conscious that shares their knowledge and know how.
No matter your communication preference or your message, there is a platform for you. Don’t like to speak? Try using Instagram. Love to chat, but hate video? Become a podcaster. Enjoy being front and center stage? A Youtube channel may be just the thing. Any way you go, get ready to influence others and make a lasting difference.
Gandhi – An Example of The Power of One
© Dinhin Rakpong-Asoke via Flickr
Gandhi is a man known for using methods of nonviolent civil disobedience to influence change. Born in 1869, in a time and place where oppressive rule and colonial taxes made it nearly impossible for his people to live, he rallied his countrymen and used peaceful protest to make a change.
While living in occupied South Africa, he first used nonviolent civil disobedience to successfully petition for civil rights for the Indian community in that region. He later inspired nations with his tactics and changed the ways other people influence change in their own nations.
He was the leader of the Indian Independence Movement, which ultimately led to the restoration of India’s rulership to its people from occupation by Great Britain. One man with one goal led a force against a much larger government and changed the course of governance forever.
Gandhi’s life wasn’t without trials for his efforts – he experienced poverty, imprisonment, and ultimately assassination – but throughout his life, he was a sought-after man for his wisdom and world-wide influence.
Gandhi didn’t limit his social impact on politics. He also had a passion for other topics related to his faith, like vegetarianism and health. He applied his passions to all his areas of interest in ways that could educate and serve. Whatever he knew, he made sure to teach. He was an author and a speaker and could command a room despite his soft-spoken manner.
Gandhi, like Mother Teresa and other influencers, was one man with a passion that drove him to seek justice and live a life of leadership and influence. He also shared the things he loved that had little to do with social justice. He just shared information knowing this truth – when the student is ready, the teacher appears.
“Be the change you want to see in the world” is one of his most famous quotes.
This should easily inspire us to simply focus on the areas of interest we naturally have and gives us a guidepost to where to focus our own influence. Do you love vegetarianism? Make an impact there. Do you want to see justice in society? Go for it! No matter your interest, you can be like Gandhi and make an impact.
Here are other quotes of Gandhi:
An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.
In a gentle way, you can shake the world.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
If you want real peace in the world, start with children.
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
Mother Teresa – An Example Of The Power Of One
© Philip K via Flickr
Mother Teresa, also known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, was a Roman Catholic nun who dedicated her life in service to others. Born in Albania and living most of her life in India, she is widely known for her humanitarian efforts to care for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy, and tuberculosis. She set up food kitchens and housing for the poor and the medically afflicted.
It won’t take long to find a meme or a quote regarding Mother Teresa circulating social media that has inspired the masses. Her kindness and love for humanity have inspired nations. Quotes like “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love” strike a chord and inspire others who wonder if one person or a small act of kindness can make an impact. Her example shows us that we can.
Mother Teresa lived a life of sacrifice as she worked to serve others. She moved from her homeland and never saw her mother again after the age of 18. She lived in foreign nations far from her familiar culture and forfeited most of the comforts that many people enjoyed. Her commitment was life-long and impacted more people than we will ever truly know.
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and Canonized at the 5th anniversary of her death in 2016. She is now recognized by the Catholic church as a Saint. What a legacy!
Despite her sole focus on others, she was not without her critics. She has been criticized for some of her methods, and the housing and services she provided were oftentimes considered below standard. Still, she persevered. She never let anything stand between her and her assignment to “love the unloved”. Likely she responded to her critics with love, as evident in this quote: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”
Mother Teresa lived in service for her whole life. She didn’t retire and spend her golden years resting and living off her investments. Instead, she served alongside those who needed it, even when she became frail herself. She serves as a wonderful example of how one person can make an impact in a focused area of need, and have that impact be recognized worldwide. Simply by caring, loving, and providing solace to those in need, she will be celebrated long after her death through the power of storytelling, social media, and her great example.
Here are some quotes from Mother Teresa:
Peace begins with a smile.
Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.
Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.
The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.”
I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, he will not ask, ‘How many good things have you done in your life?’ rather he will ask, ‘How much love did you put into what you did?
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