An hour doesn’t goes by during the week (and sometime weekends) when I don’t read something or hear from a friend/colleague about how hard it is to work in sustainability/ESG right now. New regulations with unprecedented scopes, business uncertainties, rapidly shifting corporate priorities and politics all weigh heavily on the mind of every sustainability professional. Computer screens and inboxes are inundated with information on the state of affairs and complexities of dealing with it. People are burning out trying to stay on top of issues and develop responses for their companies/clients.
I’ve spent a fair amount of time thinking about this and in my opinion, all solutions begin with having a clear head and getting that weight off your shoulders – if only for a few minutes. Gaining a bit of peace helps you recalibrate, prioritize and focus on a specific task to complete. Finishing up a single task brings satisfaction and eases stress a little, allowing you to move to the next task.
You’ve likely read similar things over the years and, perhaps like me you ignored them – thinking they are corny or that you can manage just fine, thank you very much. On the other hand, if you are feeling overwhelmed with sustainability/ESG issues, you may well get something out of it now. Not sure how to start? Take a few minutes to listen to this commencement speech by then-Admiral William McRaven to the 2014 graduating class of my alma mater The University of Texas at Austin. If you don’t want to listen to the entire 19+ minutes, just listen to the passage from 4:45 to 6:12.
Find your own path to creating and allowing yourself peace, clarity and focus. It isn’t corny or silly – it is a professional necessity in ESG/sustainability.
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