You Don’t Need a Title to Create Change
Reframing Power
What is power? The basic definition would be “the ability to do something,” but we as a society see it as much more than that. We associate power with high status, wealth, and leadership positions. Though these things influence an individual’s power, you do not need them to have power. So many believe that they are powerless. Powerless to start something. Powerless to influence others. Powerless to create change. Change, genuine change, does not require high status, wealth, leadership positions, or authority. To create change, you must assume your innate power and choose to ignore the “prerequisites” that society forces upon us.
The Myth of “Waiting Your Turn”
From an early age, we have been told to “wait our turn.” Though this rule applies in lunch lines and class discussions, it holds little importance in the real world. You do not have to wait till you are older, wiser, chosen, or given permission. By waiting your turn and allowing others to dictate your life, you give up your power. This controlled-individual mindset only leads to silence, apathy, and inaction. It will never be your turn if you continue to wait for others to validate your actions. If you want to create change, build a better life for yourself, and achieve genuine success, you must stop waiting and take your power into your own hands.
What Change Actually Looks Like
But what is change? Change is not immediate, and it is not easy. It means showing up, speaking up, organizing, and serving daily. Taking small, consistent steps compounds into larger outcomes, and that is what real change comes from. This can look like starting a conversation with someone new, organizing a group of people to volunteer at a soup kitchen, or getting more involved in an organization. The results will not be immediate, but the consistency and discipline that you gain will be more than enough to keep going.
How to Start Creating Change Where You Are
You are already qualified to start creating change, no prerequisites or title required. Creating change without a title could be starting a student-led initiative, making community impact through school clubs, engaging in projects and advocacy, or even adding simple, everyday leadership moments into your routine. A few tips on how to begin:
Identify a problem that you care about. (ex: poverty, equality, education, etc.)
Start small and local. (ex: attending a town council meeting)
Use your voice. (ex: starting a social media account dedicated to spreading awareness for your issue)
Power Without Permission
Change does not require a title; it requires power. Not power given by institutions, authority figures, or material success, but the power that comes from recognizing your own agency. When you stop waiting for permission, you stop giving your power away. Take that step. Speak up about what you are passionate about. Start that business. Your actions do not have to be loud or perfect; they just have to be intentional. Because if you don’t take that step, the change you’re capable of creating will always remain just out of reach.
Leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram with the step you are taking today to create change!
Love,
Juliet & Study Strong