so kate of “running in the rain” asked an interesting question on her page tonight – “what is your running dream?”
well, 18 months ago, my answer would have been “to complete a marathon.”
now it includes “taking part in the Australian Outback Marathon” – an event in an iconic location; Uluru.
but I have a “secret” – something I just happened to post in a private group today – so, I gave kate a chance to prise it out of me.
I’ve caused her to do a couple of things lately with my witty suggestions and getting people to “like” her page – so this is a sort of revenge.
I promised to share if my page went over 500 likes. it just did.
so…… this is what I wrote – unedited.
======== TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET ========
So, where to begin? I’ll start with a specific project and then maybe start to talk about where I think it can and/or should go… but I don’t want to get carried away or scare people with the bigger picture stuff at this point!
Basic idea flows on from the shit-sorter files, and my increasing interest in life changes, sharing of stories and the impact those have on others.
Currently the shit-sorter files are done 1 per week, with someone answering a bunch of questions, and me then editing and formatting. It’s fun, I get to know and even become friends with some wonderful people.
But there are literally thousands upon thousands of stories worth sharing – each with the potential to spark positive change in someone else’s life – even if the person with the story doesn’t even realise it.
A word here, a phrase there, a common problem faced – we never know what power our words can have on someone else.
So my background is software & web development – that’s kind of what I do / did (not so much any more)
I am waiting for a domain to go fully live so I can start building a simple web-based system, where people can create an account, and then put their stories online. Sort of a self-service shit-sorter files system.
I envisage a profile pic, name, tagline, brief intro, links to FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, and web/blog site.
Each account / profile would provide the ability to publish details of the person’s:
story
causes
goals
achievements
Each area would be a free format – so nobody is constrained into a particular structure or questions. They just share their back story, the causes they are passionate about, their current and future goals, what they have achieved.
The domain is called RunnersForChange.com – a nice simple domain name, not trying to be clever or witty, just cutting right to the heart of what is becoming a personal mission for me.
Why Runners? Because mostly the people I am meeting are runners, and running is what I have discovered a love for. Walkers, cyclists, and others could just as easily use it. My focus is on my running buddies.
What Change? Running has changed my life, my energy, my perspectives, my attitudes. It has reinvigorated my lust for life. That is change at an individual level, practically everyone I have met so far has a personal transformation story of some kind to tell.
But runners also tend to have charities, or running events are generally in support of a charity – this is a pointer to change at the community level.
not only through charity though, just the fact that individuals change for the better means their communities benefit directly. If enough individuals change, the communities will change profoundly.
The final level is global change – imagine a world where more and more people discover a joy for life, so they start seeing past the bullshit, they stop festering and becoming angry and bitter.
I’m not talking about some kind of utopian golden age where we all meditate on unicorns and eat rainbows. But a world where fewer people have hatred for other humans, less war, more compassion – all flowing from the fact that people are healthier and happier.
Then there’s the other impact of that – healthy, happy people are no longer a drain on health systems, governments no longer need to spend billions on educating people about obesity and other modern ills.
Focus may start to turn to things that can improve the human condition – to create better sustainable futures for our kids, grandkids and beyond.
All from individual change, through running (and other activities for people who don’t ever fall in love with our sport)
I see the potential for a global movement, not necessarily a global organisation, just a movement – individuals around the world adopting the banner of “Runners For Change” and in their own way improving their own lives, their families lives, their communities, their countries and the world at large.
Personally I will be seeking ways to get out in the world, run marathons or other events in different places. Meet the runners who are making the changes. All the stuff I have spoken about in relation to shit-sorters.
At a personal level I will be seeking out a new career path – one relating to the world of personal development, using my own direct experiences to motivate and inspire change in others.
So that’s a direction NMMFG is going to take – Runners For Change is an extension of that in some ways, but also separate to it. R4C will be so much more than NMMFG.
So, back down to earth for a moment – once the domain stuff has been sorted, I’m going to start building the initial simple system.
It will be simply a set of profiles that people can manage individually, completely free of charge.
Eventually I see it as growing into a searchable directory.
Then perhaps shifting towards the realms of social network. A sort of minimalist Facebook focused on spreading the stories, taking inspiration out into the world, and sparking change.
So your tasks will be to:
tell me if I am insane (in regards to the above)
help me develop the initial system – by creating accounts and testing things out
spread the word – once it seems that things are good to go
For now though, I have to sort out some technical crap – I wonder if all grand world-changing visions start at this mundane a level??
Thanks for listening
p.s.
Kind of missing from that piece is the idea of advocating / encouraging people to get into running and not worry about being slow etc