“Give me a lever and a place to stand and I will move the earth.”
— Archimedes
“I love this quote from the Greek mathematician Archimedes two millennia ago, because I believe that when we take a stand for something, we can move the world and change the course of history. Taking a stand comes from the deepest part of you — the very heart of who you are. Living your stand gives you clarity and power as well as the capacity to engage people and institutions to literally move the Earth. A stand is something that is uplifting and enhances life. It is usually for something rather than against something. You can be against police brutality, but what you stand for is justice for all.
“A stand is visionary and focuses on the big picture. It’s like a direction for the human journey. Usually a stand is something larger than you could possibly accomplish by yourself, even over a lifetime. You don’t end up getting credit. However, when you take a stand, you have access to vision — you’re in the flow of what wants to happen, and it uses your life. Your life is lit up with meaning and purpose and usefulness. It is not only what will make your life joyous and fulfilling: it is what is called for on the planet. We all are needed, every single one of us. Every single one of us is an important player in stepping up to the challenges of this century.
“Taking a stand is what gives rise to making a commitment — something that you can — and aim to — accomplish. You could think of the words purpose, stand, and commitment as meaning the same thing, but I actually make a distinction. I have in mind a sort of flow: taking a stand leads to a commitment or commitments, which gives your life purpose. In other words, finding your purpose begins with a stand. Our stand is our vision, and our lever is our commitment.”
