Originally published April 26, 2001
by Adam Zurn

"The power of one.

Not so long ago, a little girl in Alabama wanted to go to the same school as everyone else. And a gentle man from India wanted to raise consciousness without raising his voice. In East Germany, a man wanted to break free. And a woman traveled the world, giving hope to those who had none.

This is the power of one: To protect your home in the Amazon, to prevent poaching of the African Mountain Gorilla, to rescue harp seals in Finland, or to care for the environment in our own backyard. The power of one is the power to do something-Anything."

­ Earth Communications Office Commercial

We are under the impression that it takes great wealth or an massive army to change things especially in an age where we are surrounded by mercenary lobbyists, ruthless lawyers, and millionaire politicians. Yes, you can make an impact with those things but it's not necessary. It really only takes one person who believes completely in a cause to make history-or at least change something.

Some of the most profound impacts on the globe have been started by the actions of a single person. I'm talking about the real movers and shakers like Mother Teresa, Mohondas Gandhi, Jesus Christ, Steve Jobs, Henry Ford, Jane Goodall, Martin Luther King Jr., John D. Rockefeller, Adolph Hitler, and Karl Marx. For good or for bad, these people have changed the world in which we live.

Granted, many of these people had huge armies, massive companies, or dedicated disciples but they all started alone with a single idea. If these people were connected by a common thread it would be the magnetic zeal they felt for their cause that had no choice but infect those around them. You are probably asking yourself, "What does the power of one have to do with me?" Plenty!

As Editor-in-Chief of The Snapper, I witnessed first hand the power one voice can have. I've read news stories and commentaries this year that have put the wheels of change in motion here on campus. Don't for a second think that just because you are one person and don't have access to a lobbyist that you can't make a difference.

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EXERCISE: How do you know you have magnetic zeal for a cause?
Answer the following questions with a yes or no.

1. Do you have a passionate desire to make a difference?
2. Do you fearlessly believe in a cause?
3. Do you work for a cause for the intrinsic satisfaction it brings?
4. Do you enjoy fighting the mediocre, the mundane and the status quo?
5. Does your significant other threaten to leave you?
6. Does an alarm or a calling get you out of bed every morning?
7. Do you even have a cause?
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In a world of mass communication via the Internet, it's practically free to call attention to your cause and see that change gets made. I cannot urge you all enough that if you feel some great injustice has been done or that something needs to be changed here at Millersville don't complain about it to your frat brothers. Contact The Snapper. Write a letter-to-the-editor. Urge the news editor to cover the issue.

That's how change starts. But don't just stop there; you need to rally supporters and contact administrators. Always remember that just because change didn't happen the first, second, or even the third time that it can still happen. Nothing worthwhile is easily done. One issue of The Snapper remains for the semester. I urge you write in, give voice to your cause and put the wheels of change in motion.

To learn more about the power of one visit http://www.oneearth.org.
Or if you want to change the world, read
Guy Kawasaki's book Rules for Revolutionaries.