The YOU MATTER Manifesto | Angela Maiers, Speaker, Educator, Writer

My friend and mentor Seth Godin says, “only reason to give a speech is to change the world”, so that is the context and the inspiration I share this message and manifesto with you:

Two Words Changing The World

These two words can change your mood, change your mind, and have the power to

change lives and the world if we understand and leverage them in the right way”

Angela Maiers TEDxDesMoines Talk June 2011

The YOU MATTER Manifesto is a call to action.

Before we can convince anyone else that we matter, we must first convince ourselves. You are called upon to acknowledge and put to use the gifts that have been entrusted to you. Empower yourself and realize the importance of contributing to the world by living your genius.

Mattering is a process, not an event. It has no expiration date; it’s a new way of life. Knowing that we matter is essential to our existence. Consider this Manifesto an acknowledgement of your significance and that….

YOU MATTER.

1. You are Enough!

Do you know what it takes to make a difference in this world?

You don’t have to be rich or famous. No special knowledge or skills are needed. Whether you are young or old or in-between, you matter.

2. You Have Influence

To acknowledge that you can change the world is overwhelming. Yet it is absolutely the case that all of us have the ability to begin changing the world by contributing our genius to solve the world’s problems.

3. You Are a Genius.

Author Seth Godin defines genius as the act of solving a problem in a way no one has solved it before. You don’t have to win a Nobel Prize or earn a Master’s degree to be a genius. You just have to use your insight and initiative to find original solutions that matter.

4. You Have a Contribution to Make.

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love”
– Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Your mere presence can bring a smile to someone’s face. Your poetry can lift someone out of a slump. Your passion can lead you to create something magnificent.

The size of the contribution is not what matters most. What counts is how much of your heart you put into it.

Mimi and Eunice, CC-BY-SA Nina Paley

5. You Have a Gift to Give, That Others Need

“Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
– Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

Happiness and love are the two greatest gifts you can give to the world.

Too often, we indulge our own gratifications and forget there are people in this world that we can make feel loved, or appreciated, or even noticed. These are gifts anyone can give.

6. You Are the Change.

Image via Flickr

It is in the small encounters with others that we recognize that we matter, that our presence is important. A shared smile, an unexpected kindness, leaving each encounter with something positive.

It is in these small moments we find opportunity to make the choice to matter. In doing so, we make the world a better place.

7. Your Actions Define Your Impact.

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before beginning to improve the world.”
– Anne Frank

Action is the world’s greatest currency. There is no better day than today to start to make a difference to the world. You don’t need to wait till you have the time; you don’t have to wait till you make more money; you don’t have to wait one second to let someone know they matter.

Start with these two words, and you will know how much that little effort counts today.

8. You Matter!

To matter means to be of consequence or importance to others.

It means you are significant, relevant, worthy of note and of crucial value. The world may not always affirm this. Your friends and family may not adequately communicate the importance of your presence in their lives.

But that doesn’t mean that what you do and who you are doesn’t have a profound impact on the world.

It does. The world would be a very different place – a lesser place – without you.

Reflect and Share:

Let’s make our time together matter! This is only the beginning!