3. Can One Person Make a Difference?

What to expect from the DoGooders' Playbook

Do you think of yourself as a do-gooder, a person who wants to make their mark on the world and help others at the same time? Then, the messages in this playbook are for you. You wish and hope that your own actions still make a difference in this complex and often frustrating world.

I am one person hoping to make a positive impact. I am one person with much self-doubt, anger, hope, and energy, trying to use my capabilities to both move myself forward and to encourage you to use your capabilities to move yourself and the people around you forward.

I will write about humanistic leadership, humanistic education, humanistic psychology, personal growth, politics, societal struggles, what it means to be successful, what it means to be “good,” and what it means to be a humanist. I will give you encouragement, strategies, and examples of questions to ask yourself and others.

One warning, however - I am not a positive thinker. I try to think of positive behaviors, but, to a large degree, I am turning into a grumpy old man. Still, I so want to remain an optimistic humanist with faith in our potential. Just don’t expect cute “believe” messages to ensure everything works out in the end with enough mindfulness, yoga, or positive affirmations.

Naïve? Yes, I am definitely naïve. Always correct? Hardly! Annoying? Yes, you will be annoyed at me, to be sure. Earnest? Well… absolutely. I am a serious and empathetic person, luckily with a sense of humor. Short, sweet, and to the point? As often as I can.

I am not a philosopher, linguist, historian, economist, politician, theologian, or ethicist. I am an educator, author, lecturer, and encourager. I am here to ask you to keep the faith.

Please have faith in your importance to not only yourself, but to other people.

Please have faith in your contribution, that your skills and wisdom can influence the direction of society,

Please have faith in your possibilities, despite life’s obstacle course.

Please have faith in your fellow travelers, who wish to make better lives for themselves and others.

Have faith.

In the end, I am Just John, still doing what I was told to do—trying to make a positive difference. I assume you want to do that, too.

Let’s take this journey together. Let’s build a community of humanists who want to do good, do well, and take a step forward.

Let’s gather and share stories of humanists, Do-Gooders, positive influencers, and constructive, uplifting leaders.

Let’s encourage the creators, educators, entrepreneurs, writers, and artists to use their humanistic values in their efforts to bring more beauty and compassion into the world.

Let’s look for new ways to educate ourselves and our youth on the meaning and challenges of democracy, decency, and dignity.

Consider this: What is the main way in which you are trying to be a positive influencer in the world? It may be through your profession, but there are many ways every day you can be a helper, an encourager, a creator, a mentor, and a leader. If you'd like, please share a story of one of the ways you are a DoGooder or a humanist on this Substack for others to read. Submit a story through this email link.