The problem with being a “result-driven” society, is that we only believe in things that “work.” That’s the challenge non-profits and caring people have to face.
If a lawyer wins a case, he succeeds. It works.
But non-profits don’t function the same way. Their definition of success is different. Many successful non-profits are still fighting poverty, diseases, and many other issues. Maybe they always will.
That’s why they don’t share the glamour other industries have.
Just because a single person or organization can’t achieve complete eradication of the problems they focus on, does that mean that they have failed? Of course not, but society won’t reward them the same way they’ll reward “successful” people.
People who want to change the world don’t care about glamour.
They don’t care if it “doesn’t make sense.”
They don’t care if they “fail.”
It’s not just about results.
It’s about peace of mind.
They can sleep well knowing that it doesn’t have to work.
It has to matter.
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This blew me away. Bravo. Looking forward to Perth.
Totally touched me. Of course we wish it was more glamorous, of course we hope that it works, and of course we scare that it all fails. But because it matters so much, we will keep believing and keep working. Heads down, sleeves up and look stupid to other people. They all question, “why care?” I have no better answer except “It matters.” Definition of success is getting people to care (quoting Akhila), or for me, is that deep connection you build with another individual and the way you touched each other’s heart. We always try to measure success, measure impact, because that’s the only way to tell how worthy something/someone is. But is that realistic? How is it possible to measure the intangibles? Sorry for the random thoughts and thank you for the post.
Appreciate the random thoughts. Any doer knows more than any talker. I believe in what you say Ruby, because you’re a doer.
You are just plain outstanding Carlos. Thank you
It all has to do with success. Are you going to measure your success by what society dictates is “successful” or are you going to grab the reigns and determine your own measurements.
Personally, if I can go to bed at night knowing I gave it my best and did everything I could, it was a successful day. If there was a cookie involved it was near heavenly perfection.
Agreed. I’m just trying to make people realize what you’re saying. It’s a shame seeing all these wonderful people trying to change the world and getting frustrated because of lack of recognition. Then again, maybe they’re doing it for the wrong reasons…
Society is so ‘perfectly-packaged-product’ brainwashed that we lose patience with processes, and eventually neglect them in search of something to get the job done quicker. It’s our M.O…Bettering anything takes time, because change takes time. You’re spot-on: glamor is pretty much out the window, and being ok with that is the true test of genuine changemakers. Those who find contentment in caring don’t have to worry about success-they know it’s another chasing after the wind. Like you mentioned, there is no “success” meter for the peace of mind compassion restores.
Loving the simplicity.
:c:
Agreed Chelsie. I guess this is just another proof of how irrational our society really is.
Simplicity is what I do
Glad you like it.
I’d just like to echo what both Ruby and Chelsie say — beautiful comments. I have so much respect and admiration for those who work in nonprofits and human and animal rights because, as was discussed on Twitter, it’s about having an impact, not a score, not money, not fame. You do it because you care and because you want other people to care. Akhila’s quote was great, which Ruby alluded to above. There’s a purpose for those that work in nonprofits that goes beyond the self; they know it’s probably not going to be pretty and they know that it will be hard, but they have faith that in the end it will be worth it. They see that it’s all about making progress and finding success in that. I think that’s incredible; I wish we could all learn from that.
Great post, Carlos, and great discussion yesterday as well, I enjoyed seeing your insights. Here’s hoping society’s idea of what success means begins to swing the other way, that caring becomes less of a challenge and more of a norm.
Fantastic: “that caring becomes less of a challenge and more of a norm.”
Just you wait, wait until we get rid of malaria for example. Success motivates status-quo lovers.
Hey man,
I´ve read several post about non-profits in your blog. Which causes do you think are the most important ones and why? in which ones have you been involved in? Do you reccomend working few hours a week in non-profits or just work during a period of time in your life?
take care! great stuff!
I remember watching a TED talk about which problems we should focus on, and I guess we have to focus not on the most important or dramatic ones, but on the ones that we can definitely solve first. If I remember correctly, malaria was this problem. Then we can move on to other issues.
I have donated to many organizations, and worked for Idealist here in Argentina, but I plan on being more actively involved in the future. It’s a goal once I move.
I recommend you do what works for you. Some people can dedicate a whole period, some can’t. There’s no M.O., do what you can.
Thanks Roger.
Thanks for the answer.
I didn´t know idealist was in Argentina.What type of job did you do in idealist?
Which organization have you doned to for example? are there organizations that fight against malaria? is a problem in argentina?
take care
I did mostly administrative/email stuff, it was years ago, one of my first jobs.
Well, I donated to some organizations like Techo Para Mi País and others, but mostly argentinian causes. Also, to other international causes supported by friends, but I don’ remember the organizations’ names to be honest.
Argentina does not have a problem with malaria (at least not one that I’m aware of), I was talking about world issues.
I ve never heard of Techo Para Mi País. What kind of organization is? is it argentinian as well?
Idealist is a really cool site, i m glad you volunteered for them
I think it began in Chile, it provides a roof for poor people (people living with less than $2 a day). They’re doing really amazing stuff.
Hi, I just have to voice a huge criticism to this post… I don’t think you really get at the mentality of people working for NGOs or social enterprises. At the end of the day you say “they don’t care if they fail” and “it’s not just about results” and “it’s about peace of mind.” None of this is actually true.
If you’re working at a nonprofit, you DON’T HAVE peace of mind, because you’re constantly worried about whether you’re getting the results you want. It’s not like you suddenly get peace of mind because you’re comforted you’re working towards a cause. It IS ABOUT results. We’re dealing with the lives of millions of people here – how can we not be results oriented?
The mentality you are writing about is the entire problem, actually. The problem is that we don’t hold nonprofits to the same high standards as for profit companies, and that’s a huge problem. We actually have to start thinking in more results-driven ways and that’s the only way we’re going to go forward.
I don’t have a day of “peace of mind” because I am always cognizant of the fact that thousands more are dying despite my best efforts. My efforts have to be 100 times better. I am completely results driven because we can’t gamble with people’s lives.
Sorry to be harsh…but I just don’t think this is the right mentality to follow…
Akhila, while I understand what you are saying, I would respectfully disagree. I think that non-profits tend to have a different way of measuring their successes. While it would be awesome to see hunger eradicated or women’s rape and assault voided in all parts of the world I would tend to believe that unfortunately this will not happen.
But somehow non-profit workers tend to push thru and still manage to come to work each da fighting a fight that very well might not be won. Especially when you compare it to mainstrem society’s vision of success.
Non-profit workers are a special breed that I have utmost admiration for. They can take hit after hit (by the by, very few people in non-profit life that I know would call it glamorous!) and still make a difference.
Hi Elisa, I think you are having perhaps a narrower view of what nonprofits do than the nonprofits do themselves. I don’t know which nonprofits you have worked for though so I’m not sure…but in my own perspective honestly, I think all nonprofits have truly GRAND missions and goals. For instance the organization I worked with this summer has the mission of “Ending torture in the 21st century.” And you know what? We believe, every day, that we can make it happen, and that it is going to happen.
I think part of working for a nonprofit is that you do believe that big problems can be solved. Because we have to dream big to change things, otherwise it’s not going to happen. We also think in terms of human rights — that healthcare, housing, access to justice, food, etc are all “human rights” meaning that one day we want to ensure that each person in the world has access to these things. I think nonprofits dream big, honestly.
if you’re not dreaming big like this, it’s not going to happen. It’s like being an optimist — they say if you are pessimistic about something it’s just not going to turn out well anyway, right?? It’s the same with a nonprofit. You have to believe truly that change will come.
Big goals give us strength, purpose, motivation and pushes us to move forward.
But they don’t make things happen. Reality makes things happen. Why not go for a bigger goal? Why not end all torture, poverty and cancer in the 21st century? Where does a GRAND goal become impossible?
PS: I suggest you look at this TED talk, by Bjorn Lomborg, one of my favorites. This guy is realistic, and he will make things happen. Realism doesn’t hurt, it helps. http://www.ted.com/talks/bjorn_lomborg_sets_global_priorities.html
But who said we have to achieve all of it within our life time? It’s not about us, nor our achievement. Many great people in the past didn’t live to see the results of the work? We just do what we can, right? In that case, quoting Rebecca Thorman, gap between reality and vision is how our source of energy. So being idealistic doesn’t hurt, all it means is the next generations will witness it for us. Nothing is impossible. I don’t think many grandparents thought they’d see a Black president in the States? Why are people so afraid of idealism?
Akhila, I understand where you’re coming from and appreciate your comments. But I don’t think Carlos was trying to say results don’t matter in non-profit. From what I’m understanding, all he’s saying is he respects people who work in non-profits because at the end of the day, even if it’s not as glamorous, even if they don’t see the results IMMEDIATELY, they will STILL keep going regardless of what others think because they have that piece of mind that they’re doing the RIGHT thing. Quoting Jacqueline Novogratz – patient capital right? You don’t see that in the for-profit because you need to show results immediately. Every single thing needs to be measurable – but that’s just not realistic in international development because things are SO complex. Yes results matter, of course, we’re talking about lives, but HOW you measure against those results? Whose standards? Standards that the for-profits set? Why? Their metrics won’t make sense in the development field.
Elisa, “Non-profit workers are a special breed”. This is what I have a problem with. I don’t understand why people see “those who work in non-profit” are different. Why can’t those be the normal ones? Why can’t caring is normal? And the ones that DON’T are the special breed? It’s that mentality that leads people into thinking someone else is already fighting the battle. for them, that it’s not their responsibility and there’s not much they can do anyways. P.S I don’t think we’re fighting a fight that will not be won. And I do not think hunger & all other issues could end. We have the resources (ie. money) to end it right now – people are just choosing to prioritize otherwise.
I understand what Carlos was saying, that we go on and on with this work despite it not being “glamorous.” That part does make sense to me — I guess I just didn’t agree with the part when he talks about how they don’t care if they fail. Because to me, I would say nonprofits & NGO professionals care *even more* if they fail than people in for profit companies. I mean, really when you’re dedicating your life to improving lives, like I said, you can have thousands of people dependent on you. And as a result you have to care if you fail — it might mean people dying after all! Perhaps it’s just the phrasing I have an issue with, here. I also see now that he says it’s not “just about results” but again, I do think we have to be more results-oriented. This is easier in the healthcare and microfinance fields, but obviously harder in less tangible/concrete areas like human rights, and so on. But I think for each organization, there is a way to be more results driven.
And I completely echo everything you say in your 2nd paragraph!
OK, me defending Carlos here. He didn’t mean people who work in non-profit don’t care if they fail. I think he meant, even if they did fail, it’s not like they’re going to say “OK this sucks I don’t care about human rights anymore and give up.” Instead, they go, “Why couldn’t I do more?! Why don’t I have all the answers? Must try harder tomorrow. ”
But yes I do agree we have to be more results driven. Want to see something cool?
http://www.good.is/post/evaluating-systems-change/
I was expecting for this kind of comment. I think Elisa and Ruby below have shed more light on my post. I also think that you’re choosing not to see certain details of my post, certain words (or you are assuming that I thought only as far as I wrote, when I actually like for my readers to ponder more conclusions on their own). I knew this was going to happen because people like you Akhila, and Ruby, and many others who devote your lives to these causes, are very passionate, and sorry for saying this, idealistic. A powerful, but uthopic combination.
Idealism is beautiful, but there’s a reason it’s called idealism.
I really don’t think that we disagree to be honest.
Sorry Carlos — didn’t mean to be one sided in my comment! Did you mean something else with those last few phrases, like “they don’t care if they fail”? Maybe I missed the point there…would love if you enlighten me. Hm, sorry, what do you mean by the word “uthopic?”
I understand that you think I am idealistic, but I honestly think it is realistic. I think we are living in an extremely unfair world and it should be considered realistic to imagine better. It shouldn’t be some sort of far off dream world. I really think if we all stopped thinking it was impossible, and thought it IS possible and worked towards it, great things would happen.
Or when we finally decide to all stand up and say, “This is not acceptable?”, then the “impossible” can definitely happen.
Wow…
A.) I apparently can’t leave a post for 5 minutes to be away or replies just break loose!
B.) Dictionarial terms of words are bullshit. Opitimism means that you will see the best possible and perfect world, regardless of reality. Idealism is a reality in which all of humanity must transcend reality. Realism is a concern for the fact of reality. Success is the favorable or desired result, generally dictated by the expectations of human nature and society. Our “argument” is very similar on all counts, we just keep “fighting” with different words.
C.) I guess you are right. I shouldn’t say that non-profit folks are “a special breed.” It’s obvious that most everyone in humanity strives to make a difference in this world, especially due to the “success” of such issues as genocide, hunger, violence against women, etc. We shouldn’t as a society strive to be “special” and rise above the ideals and knowledge we currently have. We should sit happily in our ignorance of such realities, as we have for decades. I think non-profit people are special BECAUSE they believe with all their heart in perfection and idealism and devote their lives to that. I apologize for admiring non-profit people that way.
D.) The most successful non-profits I have encountered are willing to accept and embrace the “failures” they have making change in society – because change doesn’t come easy to anyone. And “successful” non-profits recognize the Challenge of Caring that Carlos references…the fact that the workers within the cause sometimes care more than the people they are trying to convince, and that is what makes non-profit life such a beautiful and all-together painful thing. They don’t see “failures” as “failures” because non-profits hold themselves to a different measurement that the rest of us. They strive for perfection, when (in reality) most everyone else strives to get by and be “the best” for a few minutes. They don’t care about “failure” becuase they will not give up on their dreams, as some (most) businesses will after bouts of failture.
E.) This down-playing of questioning is an unfortunate reality of many non-profit workers I encounter. See, I am a realist. In my purest of hearts I am idealist and I wish that we lived in utopia. I know the issues utopia has in reality, but sometimes I don’t care. I just LONG to see the good in people. And then people say I am hurtful and not idealistic and unfair and pessimistic and various other not good adjectives that makes me want to turn and run from ANY issue/ideal you may be promoting. Why do we have to put down other people’s questions in order to promote our idealism? Why do I have to be wrong so that you can be right?
F.) Along the same lines those same non-profits also embrace the idealism within the constraints of reality. I’m sorry, but it is foolish to believe that world peace is going to break out tomorrow. Or next week. Or next month. I’ll stop short because I still hold out hope for maybe world peace in the next year, but I also recognize the possibility that it might not happen. Given the basics of scientic theory (which SOME foolish and realistic and apparently not good enough people base their thought in) you must consider both the plausibilities and IMplausibilities to any hypothesis in order to validate it’s truth. But I guess it’s only a segment on the population of the population that thinks this way, why should we consider their opinions and feelings in such lofty and reaching ideals?
I love point B, language discussions are always pointless.
1) Can you explain what you mean by this? “We shouldn’t as a society strive to be “special” and rise above the ideals and knowledge we currently have. We should sit happily in our ignorance of such realities, as we have for decades.”
2) Idealism, realism, optimism – I don’t really care which word is used. And I don’t really want to argue over when exactly world peace will break out, or not, and what is a realistic timeframe. I think your questions are legitimate so I am not going to say you’re wrong. I just think sometimes we spend too much time overanalyzing things that’s unnecessary. I sound idealistic is because I don’t want to see people suffer. Not saying I’m going to end human suffering in my life time, but just to say this is what I’m going to do because….why not?
3) We’re not dreaming of a utopia. To be honest, I do think there will be a new set of other problems after climate change is solved and world hunger has ended… OK, that is the reality, but so what if it’s the reality? Reality is based on our own worldviews of the world right? Your reality is probably different from someone else’s reality in Rwanda.
Hey Ruby! I’ll start by saying that my choice of wording on that first one was probably not the best. I was saying that currently a lot of people do not engage in the compassion and caring that many non-profit workers do. So for now, that WOULD have to be a special or ‘not the norm’ for many people. Would it be fantastic if everyone felt that way? Yes. Is it happening currently? No.
As for words and fighting, I think that is exactly what we are doing. We both want a better world and keep chasing the logistics around because of vocabulary. Overanalyzing when unnecessary. I would however note that people that do not sound idealistic might not want people to suffer either. Just because people may not have the same view of the process doesn’t mean they don’t want the same end result. Ending suffering sounds like a pretty good idea to me.