If you feel like your voice will not be heard, that you have no authority or feel like you’re too young…. Remember this girl, Greta Thunberg.

A 17-year-old Swedish environmental activist on climate change whose campaigning has gained international awareness. She began her journey by asking her parents to make lifestyle choices to reduce their carbon footprint. From there she started spending her school days outside Swedish parliament and then regular student strikes every week around the world began. 

Today, she held a speech and a march in Bristol with an enthusiastic audience of between 15,000 – 30,000 people.

Her ask of people is to act to save the planet. 

“This is an emergency. People are already suffering and dying from the consequences of the climate and environmental emergency but it will get worse.”

Furthermore, she comments about how our politicians and those in power for betraying the world’s youth. 

“This emergency is being completely ignored by politicians, the media and those in power.” “World leaders are behaving like children, so it falls on us to be the adults in the room.”

Her audience is captivated and supportive of the climate change movement. 

What makes Greta Thunberg different?

Notice how she has built an audience with mixed ages, ethnic backgrounds and from around the world. She leads with her purpose, has massive passion in her heart, addresses a big problem and shows up! This is the recipe for your movement, amongst other things, but this is a great starting point. 

Greta is no different from you. 

You have the power to start that business you’ve dreamed of, to add value to the executive board meetings, to start a local change campaign. 

Whatever it might be. You can become a leader with your superpowers!

But I don’t know what my superpowers are, Tammy!

I can relate to those who feel insignificant. 

I was a supressed saleswoman for a long time. The senior male decision-makers would ask my male counterparts for advice and solutions rather than me. In the end, I adopted a masculine approach to get noticed. I felt as though I couldn’t bring my unique self to a meeting, a negotiation or even at socials. If I wanted authority I had to dress like a businesswoman, speak logically and direct, I had to brush up my knowledge on cars and Rolex watches and I laughed at the sexual innuendos. Just to be accepted. 

I became conditioned to being this person and justifying it as normal. I couldn’t see the impact it had on my uniqueness and finding my superpowers.

Had I realised the only block in my way was me, I would have done things differently.

After taking time to rebrand who I am today (because we evolve over time) and by going through the Focus & Direction program, I now embrace and leverage my uniqueness. Not only do I have my own thriving business with a mission just like Greta Thunberg, but I also feel alive by being my true self. 

People follow my movement and are awakened to a new way of thinking and being in this modern world. I may be small today with lots of work to do, but I will have a large movement in good time. 

And just like Greta Thunberg, I lead with purpose, massive passion in my heart, address a big problem and show up.

But I don’t have the resources!

Granted, Greta Thunberg has a team supporting her movement but once upon a time not so long ago, it started with just Greta.

The single biggest inspiration is seeing the impact. Once one person’s life is changed, you can’t stop. They will remember you forever and be forever grateful. You know that there are many other people waiting for your help and so you lead with passion.

You just need to start and keep up the momentum. Where you focus your mind, energy will flow to keep pursuing your passion. Resources will stop becoming your problem when you hone in on your movement. 

So remember, it only takes one person to start an ovation. Eventually, there will be two, three and four more. Until the whole crowd will be on their feet. 

I hope I’ve instilled a new belief, that no matter your age, you have the power to start a movement.

Start your standing ovation today!