About a month ago I attended a lunchtime lecture at UCL on inequality. It was a thought-provoking but deeply depressing 45 minutes!
I didn’t feel as though I heard anything I wasn’t aware of before, but perhaps saw some information with fresh eyes. I was moved to carefully think about what am I doing in relation to an area I feel quite strongly about.
The lecture was filled with facts and figures, stories and anecdotes that meant something at the time but have come and gone from my brain since. But just as Professor Sir Michael Marmot finished the lecture he said something that has stuck with me.
If you’re doing nothing, DO SOMETHING.
If you’re doing a little, DO MORE.
If you’re doing a lot, DO BETTER.
He was talking about this in terms of countries dealing with inequality, but it can just as easily be about individuals.
There is always some improvement we can be making, whether to our own lives or to those around us. It’s about being non complacent. It’s about taking a small step even if you feel the issue is too large. It’s about doing something, or perhaps doing more or just doing our actions better. Whether that be the way we engage with those around us. Or the way in which we approach our paid work. Or how much time we are putting to causes we care about. We can always be doing a little bit, a bit more or doing it better.