How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change Now! – Adam Braun

I had the awesome opportunity to meet with Adam Braun, a New York Times bestselling author and the Founder of Pencils of Promise, an award-winning organization that has built more than 320+ schools for children in poverty around the world.

He is the #1 National Best Selling Author and has also been named to Business Insider’s 40 Under 40.

Adam shares his advice on finding your purpose, following your dreams, overcoming failure and how we can all make a difference in this world.

Listen to the Podcast episode below to find out how you can go from ordinary to extraordinary now!

Begin each day with a completely selfless act.

Most of your day will inevitably be consumed by responsibilities, musings and opportunistic ideas. But within your first hour of emailing, send a note connecting two great people who will benefit from an introduction to each other. Try sending someone a book you know they’ll love or text a friend to say you’re proud of their most recent accomplishment.

Swipe a subway ride or buy a bagel for the person behind you in line. The rest of your day might be about moving your own ball forward, but you’ll find immense joy in helping another first.

“Make your life a story worth telling.” – Adam Braun

If you are looking at making a difference in this world by giving back then there are these three great options you can start with which we call “The Three T’s”:

Most people shouldn’t go out and start an organization straight away. If you are in a position where you want to have a broad impact in the world then you can go and work for an organization first, to learn more about what it takes to run one.

For those who are comfortable with their life right now and just want to find a way to give back then you have the three options that are listed below:

Treasure

Make a financial contribution. This is the lowest level of commitment and all you need to do is go onto an organization’s website and make a donation.

The best way to get used to giving back regularly is to sign up to a re-occurring giving campaign. You can sponsor a child per month or fund on going projects throughout the years ahead. Knowing that you are continually part of something that is impacting is more profound than just a one off donation. This is a very simple way for you to feel connected to a cause and it’s great to know with each dollar you are making in your personal life you are able to impact another.

Time

You can start out by volunteering once a month at a kids school, a soup kitchen, a homeless shelter or you could go to a penitentiary and teach new skills to inmates.

Whatever volunteering work you can experience this is the next level after donating your finances when it comes to giving back.

Talent

This is when you decide to work for or start your own organization. What is really important when it comes to starting your own organization is making sure you have really great board members.

What’s really underestimated is the value of really great board members. You need people that are committed and willing to put in the long hours to make it work and it’s also important to have a great advisory board to find ways to build the organization and to network with others.