By Victoria Clowater

Now pushing twenty, there are a lot of things about world issues I wish I could tell my 16 year old self. At 16 I knew I wanted to do something spectacular with my life—perhaps you can relate? I knew the issues I was passionate about and how I wanted my world to be. Looking back now though, I can see some mistakes in my approach to leadership that hindered my ability to make a difference. I look back and want to say, “Tori what on earth could you have been thinking?”

Well I can’t go back in time but I can share what I’ve learned and hopefully help others think critically about their approach to leadership.

Single-handedly Saving the World
When I was 16, I wanted to “save the world”—the whole world—all by myself (or maybe with a few close friends). What I now see is that a mission that size is exhausting, not to mention impossible to measure. You will never be able to put a dent in the world’s problems all by yourself, but you can chisel away at them. Instead of “saving the world”, I have learned that I can help make a significant difference in somebody’s life, and that is worth just as much. I learned that leadership isn’t about telling people what to do, it is about empowering them to help you make a difference, to inspire a shared vision. Leadership is about helping even the most unlikely person become motivated for social justice.

Don’t Sacrifice Everything
That may seem like a tough job, but don’t worry—the next one is my favourite.

You don’t have to sacrifice everything to make a difference. You don’t have to give up fashion, or singing, or art, or whatever you enjoy. Instead, you can harness that for social change. If you love video games, you can set up a guitar hero fundraising tournament. If you have a passion for fashion, you can support sweat-shop free labels, save money by creating vintage, second-hand styles, or learn to sew your own clothes. If you are a musical or visual artist, you can use your talents to spread the word about global issues and engage others in unique ways.

There are lots of things I wish I could go back in time to teach myself, but these are the three most important lessons about leadership and changing the world that I wish I had known. With any luck, you can learn from my mistakes. Happy leading!

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