Arc Benders have audacious visions.
And those visions are catalytic and magnetic.
They attract.
They ignite.
They SHINE.
They move people.
They interrupt patterns and intervene in systems (internal and external). There is inherent possibility and capacity in these visions.
In Dr. King’s famous speech, delivered August 16, 1967, he proclaimed,
There is a creative force in this universe…a power that is able to make a way out of no way and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows.
Let us realize that the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.
While Dr. King was speaking specifically about Christian faith and the vital need for social justice, I am referencing and applying his message to speak to a microcosm of dissonance that I see when working with leaders, artists, dreamers, doers, healers, coaches and teachers.
Because whether your audacious vision is for social and restorative justice, equity in all institutions, the elimination of white supremacist patriarchy in all its internalized and externalized forms, or a personal and professional quest to help clients heal and practice self-care through yoga, wellness or coaching modalities, to effectively catalyze people, you must address the dissonance between where they begin and where they want to be. And for this you need a map, a Cartography of Change.
Without Cartographies of Change our students can get stuck in creative cul-de-sacs.
So, if you have conjured that creative force and vision that makes a way out of no way, take the next step. Create the Cartography of Change to guide your people on the journey.
And Begin.
But here’s the funny thing.
Because Arc Benders know the terrain of their expertise so intimately, it can often be difficult to map and teach other people.
Since experts intuitively move through the topography and can easily flow and riff as they go, mapping from a bird’s eye view can feel disorienting (or impossible). And this is where the dissonance lies.
As a curriculum designer and educational strategist, I have witnessed many brilliant peers, colleagues and clients get stuck in translation, in that dissonance.
So to chart your way forward, begin by taking stock of these coordinates:
- Starting Point: Where are your students beginning?
- Destination: What is their destination? (What will they know, be able to do)
- Create the Map: What is the topography between the starting point and destination?
- Focus. What knowledge, experience and tools will they need on this journey?
- Exploration: Where are the opportunities? (ie. tributaries of knowledge/experience to explore or deepen their learning)
- Team Support: What support do students need to be successful?
And then, take action, Arc Bender.
Lead someone on the journey you have mapped out. Because that’s what you do.
Finally, don’t forget to ask for feedback. Review and revise.
Because that’s what I do.
I help dreamers, doers, change-makers map Cartographies of Change and create Infrastructures of Shine for their businesses.
Onward Arc Benders!
In love, equity and justice.