You create your own culture through purposeful action, or you simply exist where you are.

To begin, you may have to reexamine some of your assumptions. But to not flinch at this.

I typically encourage others to seek impact on two ways. You can look for shallow impact on a wide scale, and deep impact on a small scale.

A shallow impact on many might look like a book, podcast, or blog post. A deep impact on few might look like a commitment to a couple life-long friendships and parenting.

Understand: A small group of committed people can move mountains.

I remembered a remark Jones had made one night after I had complained about the condition of our nation and world. He had reminded me that we either create our culture or give in to the culture that already exists. Then he added, “See here, now . . . what’s the first thing you do upon walking into a dark room? You flip the light switch, of course, and immediately the room is no longer dark. “Light always trumps darkness. It always has, and it always will. Therefore, “Jones said as his blue eyes bored into mine, “if you see that your world is darkening…if you believe that the culture of our nation is growing dimmer by the year…don’t blame it on the dark! Darkness is only doing what darkness does. “If darkness is winning battles, my friend, it is because light is not doing its job. You are light. So wake up.” And then he said it again. “Wake up!”

-Andy Andrews, The Noticer Returns