Think little goals and expect little achievements. Think big goals and win big success ~ David Joseph Schwartz
Amazingly around me, I see people caught in their ‘bubble’, problem is bubbles go ‘pop’.
People seem to feel ‘safe’ setting little goals and satisfied with little achievements? Saying that everyone has to start somewhere but thinking small has never really fitted with me or my personality!
About twenty five years ago, I stumbled across Community Development work, although at the time I didn’t recognise it as that. I was just getting involved in community activities.
Later in 1996, I moved to Wiltshire as an army wife. I was introduced to another kind of involvement being an involved army wife. I enjoyed it and made some good friends but it was everything army ‘the bubble’.
Fourteen years ago, I became involved as a tenant. Through the years that followed, I would often go to conferences on behalf of the organisation, I learnt a lot and my confidence grew. My involvement resulted in my being Vice Chair of a national organisation and being appointed an audit Inspector. I was thankful for every opportunity that was given to me but it was limiting and in many respects a ‘bubble’.
Around this time I began to get involved my local community in many ways. Most of it I enjoyed it but I never felt ‘at home’ and I found the endless talking achieved little which was frustrating for me.
I’ve observed people who are involved in their communities get ‘blinkered’ or get entrenched into local ‘politics’ and their own ‘bubble’. Doing great work in the community is about just that, it’s not about who is better or who wants to be seen. Shouting on Facebook and other social media about how many hours you give to people isn’t what it’s all about either.
Recently, through social media, I’ve witnessed people tearing one another apart under the banner of wanting to make their community better? Does this mean that they’ll think little goals and make little achievements because their concern is not about the community while they are behaving like this!
HEALS is something unique and has so much potential. Ego’s and local ‘politics’ are left at the door! Through developing HEALS, I’ve learnt that ‘bubbles’ are not necessary and that thinking big goals and outside the box takes courage. I’ve increased my business knowledge and this combined with all my previous work has given me the courage to aim high. Two years ago at the start of the HEALS, I’d have never have believed that we’d be aprt of a national organisation.
Achieving and winning takes tenacity, planning, focus, partnership working, belief and passion and strategic thinking and all of these are in abundance at HEALS. Of course, this ‘model’ is unique because it brings every part of the community together through partnership and collaboration. HEALS is far from limiting and everything is possible. From now on the goals set will always be big and success will be won. As ‘Queen’ would say “don’t stop us now we’re having such a good time, we’re having a ball ….”
alisoncrossjones 