The Responsibility Revolution

"Every generation needs a new revolution." ~ Thomas Jefferson

I wrote in my blog last week about connecting the dots and Steve Jobs’ Stanford commencement speech (http://bit.ly/8wVZ) referring to the fact that you can’t connect the dots moving forward, but you can always look back and see how they connect.

My journey in creating and now working on raising capital to launch OneGiving™ has been such a lesson in connecting the dots and, oh yeah, patience! Any time I am unsure of myself or have a day when I wonder to myself, now, why again am I doing this, one of those dots shows up that serves as a reminder, a marker, and, yes, one of those magical dots that Steve Jobs was talking about that reminds me that I am on the right path and to keep moving forward.

A recent article in TIME magazine did that for me. It was an article about the “Responsibility Revolution” (http://bit.ly/3oyk1g). It was a really good reminder to me of all that I believe in and all that I am creating with my vision for OneGiving™.

The article talked about how we have entered this era in which consumers are starting to put their money where their ideals are. That not only are individuals serving more, volunteering more and giving more, they also want to spend more ethically.

We have entered the “Responsibility Revolution” or the “Era of the Ethical Consumer!” What an amazing time to be living. Seriously though, as I read this article and thought about the fact that the top reason the most successful entrepreneurs started their companies was to make a difference or change the world, I felt a wave of excitement and relief flood over me.

Can you believe that it is possible that in our lifetime we may truly see a shift from a purely profit based capitalism to a more conscious, or ethical capitalism, in which triple bottom line – people, profit and the planet – supersede the more simplistic “profit” based model? We have reached a period in which people have lost faith because of the scandals on Wall Street and corporate America and are looking to see a values shift in corporate America!

Additionally, as seen in Obama’s campaign, people became engaged, because they felt part of something bigger than themselves. The campaign was not about “me” but about how “I” can become a part of the greater “We” and how can “We” collectively move the dial forward?

While I may have some days in which I feel overwhelmed or overwrought with so much to do and what I feel like is a huge responsibility to myself and my fellow human being, I see articles like this and I am revived, revitalized and reminded of why I am doing what I am doing in creating OneGiving™ (http://www.onegiving.com/). Because I care, I want to make a difference and I want to not only be a part of the “Responsibility Revolution,” but I want to be a leader in it.
What are you doing to be a part of the Revolution? What can you commit to doing to be a part of the “Responsibility Revolution” to be the change you wish to see in the world?

You can find me on Twitter @pilarstella and Facebook at www.facebook.com/pilarstella.