In the last episode, I shared how being an altruist and optimist has given birth to two new concepts around my ideal vision for humanity and introduced to you the concept of Humanity First Values. In this episode, we delve into the second concept which is inspired by the book “Buddha and the Badass” by Vishen Lakhiani and is a five-step approach that encourages business leaders and individuals to create businesses, careers, and lives that make a positive difference in the world.
The concept is called ‘Humanity Plus+’ and is structured around five pillars, each pillar representing a critical part of creating a business or career that positively impacts the world. It starts from an individual basis and expands out to the world at large. Let’s explore the five pillars of becoming ‘Humanity Plus+’ and how this idea can shape a more meaningful and purpose-driven path.
Pillar 1: Your Team and Support Network
The first pillar is all about how your work positively impacts your team, support network, and/or the people around you. No matter what business, or career you find yourself in – even if it’s in a remote setting and you only see your team on a screen or speak to them on the phone there is some level of communication with other human beings who you work with. Therefore, you, your business and/or career have an impact on them. The question is, what is this impact? And, do your actions help everyone to grow, develop, and bring positivity among your colleagues and team?
This doesn’t even take into consideration bringing your work home with you which so many of us do. The people at home, are also an extension of your support network and does your work help them in some way, or does it bring them down? These are all vital questions to consider when creating a Humanity-Plus business and/or career.
Pillar 2: The People You Touch
The second pillar focuses on the people you touch beyond your immediate team and support network which in most cases is your audience and/or customers. It’s important to consciously consider how your products and/or services positively impact their lives. To be Humanity-Plus, I believe that it’s vital to create products, services, and an overall customer experience that has NO negative consequences. For example, if your products “bring happiness” to customers but lead to negative outputs with their health – you’ve failed! The goal is to create products and services with no negative impact and a quest that I believe is worth taking on.
Pillar 3: The Wider Community
The third pillar starts to move beyond your immediate team and the people you touch directly through your products and services. This pillar addresses the impact on the wider community. By positively affecting your customers and audience, in a deep meaningful way you can create a ripple effect that leads to healthier, better communities at large. For example, let’s say you have a product that helps people to cultivate more energy, by cultivating more energy they can do the things they want to do with the people they want to do them with – therefore, on some level you’ve had an impact beyond your immediate customers. This pillar goes way beyond the example provided but hopefully gives insight into the idea and what we’re aiming to accomplish.
Pillar 4: The World at Large
The fourth pillar goes a step further by bringing awareness and consciousness to how your business and/or career can shift, impact, and change culture for the betterment of humanity. An example could be inventing a product that cures a disease, being in a career that promotes a profound societal message, or simply bringing consciousness to how your actions have a greater impact on the world at large. The pillar might be a challenge for some who believe they can’t have this great of an impact. But, I would encourage you to reconsider and think again. Your impact can go far and wide, either directly or indirectly.
Pillar 5: The Environment
The fifth and final pillar highlights our responsibility to the environment and the planet we call home. This planet isn’t ours, we’re merely tenets, who are here for a brief time in the grand scheme of life. Therefore, how our actions in and out of business and our careers either positively or negatively contribute to planet Earth and all that is on this beautiful planet with us.
A Moral Responsibility for All
These are deep ideas to consider and questions to answer. Becoming Humanity Plus isn’t limited to entrepreneurs or business owners as we all have a moral responsibility regardless of our role or career to positively contribute to and impact humanity in a meaningful way. I’ve found that taking a few pre-steps can help us in our quest to become Humanity Plus. These pre-steps include, discovering our core purpose, defining our values, and aligning with the collective values of your team or community. These pre-steps lay the foundation for a purpose-driven journey towards becoming Humanity-Plus.
We can all apply this concept to our own lives, careers, and businesses and use the steps as a roadmap for meaningful contribution and personal fulfilment. Whether you’re starting a new venture or reevaluating your current path, this approach can guide you toward a more purposeful business and/or career.
To explore the concept of Humanity Plus further join the Becoming Humanity-Plus webinar. This interactive session will provide a deeper dive into the five pillars and pre-steps, and help you to align your lives, work, businesses, and careers with the principles laid out above. Join the movement today towards a more conscious and purpose-driven world. Let’s become Humanity-Plus together!