Your "Why" is changing. This is how. And this is my change.
The exponential spread of COVID-19 and the resulting systemic breakdown was truly unexpected, for all of us. As I previously explained in my article "It's time to shift from Short- to Long-Termism. For Good.", it should not have been unexpected if we would have listened to experts and had a stronger culture of Long-Termism.
Today, the rapid spread of the disease disrupts our lives in many ways. And the longer we're stuck with quarantine and lockdown rules, the longer we have to worry securing food, water and health suppliers - activities focused on short-term survival. Like most of us focused the past 20 years on Short-Termism, there is a risk that, when we go back to normal soon, we continue to live how we've lived before : focused on short-term (see my previous article).
I believe though that will not happen. The disruption and extra time we have today will trigger more existential personal questions. Now is the time to rethink your purpose - an exercise I completed in the past weeks.
The Maslow framework shows a time is coming to develop a new personal Purpose, your new Why.
Our human response to COVID-19 follows step by step the hierarchy of needs of Maslow. Every day of the crisis we experience how important the needs of the first 2 layers are : they focus on short-term survival. But with time - and right now there is plenty of - the next layers explain you will start to rethink your future. Let's take a look.
Layer 1: Fulfil physiological needs, required for survival: With news spreading like a wildfire and lockdowns declared globally, people hoard food, water and … toilet paper. As long as the crisis lasts, we're confronted with this need on a daily base, seeing our home stocks deplete, visiting rather empty grocery stores and replenishing the stocks.
Layer 2: The need for safety & security: With increased knowledge on how the virus spreads, hoarding alcoholic gels, masks/protective clothing, medicine and respirators started. Nations setup quarantines, closed borders, blocked health supplies shipments, ... We feel our personal health is at risk and even feel threatened if people come too close, therefore we're changing our behaviour to increase safety.
Layer 3: Need for love & sense of belonging: Based on social distancing and quarantine measures, people started to feel socially disrupted. The change and response that for most of us took a bit longer, is a proof of people’s resilience: virtual social events, shipping tablets to grandparents, evening clapping supporting healthcare providers, volunteering ... We're all together up to fight the virus.
Layers 4 & 5: Here comes Long-Termism. In the next weeks we will start to look out to re-establish self-esteem and self-actualisation. People missing the impact of hobbies, work output and social activities feel unhappy. As they're confronted with themselves more than ever, people reflect on the past and on their future. What have I been doing, and how? How did this contribute to a better world? Is this why I'm here on planet earth? People start to rethink their purpose. The ideal result of such a redefinition is that people can and will start new, innovative activities and businesses. As these activities emerged in very uncertain, disruptive times, they automatically will be more sustainable, more long-term.
The re-establishment of self-esteem and self-actualisation will not only be a personal game changer, but applied on a mass scale - when millions of people find their new why - long-term sustainable growth on a global level will be the effect.
My new purpose : Sustainable Water
The past weeks already, I took the time to re-iterate my new purpose, my why, and I thought about how I could achieve my Why. I decided to focus on a topic that I have been very familiar with the past 20 years: Water.
All of us need water every day to stay alive and to stay healthy. Around 4 billion people today experience severe physical water scarcity for at least one month per year. The rapid increase in population, water system inefficiencies, water pollution & the massive effects of climate change on the hydrological cycle are an unhealthy cocktail that is further accelerating the scarcity of supply of fresh- and clean drinking water.
By 2030 the world will need 40% more freshwater. Water plays a central role in almost any economic activity. This means sustainable economic growth cannot be achieved without sustainable water supply.
Sustainable availability of clean drinking water, freshwater and sanitation is paramount to enable achieving 15 of the 17 UN sustainability goals. Strangely enough, water scarcity is not high on the agenda of nations today, with most efforts mainly targeting a reduction in carbon emissions. Similar to neglecting the possible likelihood/impact of infectious diseases resulting in the COVID-19-crisis, we're probably not giving this crisis the attention it deserves.
Goals connected to Water. Source : UN WWDR2020, page 40
Water Scarcity is thus a global, imminent problem (see the UN World Water Development Report 2020 or the World Economic Forum 2020 Global Risk Report) that is highly likely to happen and with a massive impact. This complex problem needs more attention, a myriad of creative, innovative solutions and global cooperation - this is where I believe I can contribute, given my experience and capabilities (e.g. take a look at GROHE Sense).
My new purpose ? I will enable sustainable, healthy, comfortable living through innovation with focus on Sustainable Water".
Now what is your new purpose going to be? What is your new Why?
Use the opportunity to post your new Why as a comment on this article - and if it is connected to sustainable water, let's talk!
