Recentlly a follow blogger ran the Quote " The world is run by those who show up" I did a little research on this quote and this is what i found, couldnt have said it better myself. It kind of goes hand in hand with the quote from Mahatma Gandhi " Be the change you wish to see in the world" This is kind of ironic considering there was a lenghty discussion on the popular site facebook the other day. The discussion revolved around the state of affairs of the Municipality, why their are no businneses left and that the Community is turning into a ghost town. I voiced my opinion as well as others and it was a good discussion. Again it got me to thinking.
The world is run by those who show up
There is nothing more important in your life than taking care of your family and raising healthy children if you have them. Individuals should not feel pressured to take on more than they can reasonably be expected to accomplish, especially if the extracurricular activities significantly diminish one’s family life.
Notwithstanding the first tip, children need good role models and should learn early on that public service and caring for the community are not only good things, but should be expected. Balancing these priorities is the trick.
Have you ever been bemused when someone complains about politicians, but then admits that they don’t vote? The same can be said of a lot of things including public policy, effective government, youth recreation and our profession. Decisions, policies, laws and programs are put into place by governing boards, citizen groups and professional organizations that rely heavily on volunteer leadership. It’s one thing to have a good idea, but it’s another thing entirely to manage, fund and determine how that idea is put into practice. Those who show up actually end up doing it.
I can’t tell you where you can best serve in your community. That decision should be driven first by your interests and talents, and second by community needs. In your profession, start by joining and actively participating in your professional association, whether than is on a local, state or national level. Nationally, that would mean active participation in the National Association for Court Management. If you are a court technology specialist, look into the Court Information Technology Officer’s Consortium and the Forum on the Advancement of Court Technology.