Our global society is facing many challenges.  Over 80 million people are living in a food crisis-level. Almost 11 percent of the global population lives in poverty (less than $1.90 per day). We seem unable to achieve economic growth without a disproportionate increase in inequality. Over 63 million young people are denied education, embedding systemic regional issues.

The statistics could go on, simply by running through the UN’s sustainable development goals and pulling numbers on why they matter.  These issues seem so big that even if one is motivated it can seem a challenge to know where to start. It seems that the higher the level of influence in government or NGO such as the World Bank, the slower the impact due to inefficient bureaucracy. The smaller more agile organisations struggle for effectiveness due to lack of resources.

As I wrestle with this paradigm, I consider how I spend my life.  Where can I have the most impact with what I have available. My current trajectory is focused on mapping and measuring regional innovation so we can collectively understand and determine where to apply our resources for the most impact. There is also an aspect of “bait and switch”, in that I am searching for like-minded individuals who want to make a significant impact in the short time we have left.

The challenges are complex, systemic, and embedded. I believe it is not a matter of finding the answer, but in identifying the question that needs to be asked and who needs to ask it. This is more challenging than throwing stones and using social media to rail against the establishment. It requires an approach both consider and collaborative, as well as one focused on execution.

And then as I ponder these thoughts, as I spend the day cleaning my data and preparing my ethics submission, my dog comes and rests his head on my lap. For the next ten minutes, I rub his head and he is like “oh my god, that feels so good, nothing else matters.”

To be a dog.