Starting isn’t easy. But was is even harder is to continue the hard work especially when you try to make a service more sustainable. Having other people who are on the same paths can help a lot to keep the motivation high and even get some tips from people who are ahead on that paths.

You might be the only person interested in sustainability within your company. Or you might be the only company trying to make that type of change happen within your city or even industry. So this all can be pretty lonely.

The good news is that community these days isn’t far away. In fact it’s one text message, email or Linkedin message away. 

Saying to someone: “Hey I’m a bit alone on this big challenge, any chance you could give me 15 minutes of your time to exchange ideas and discuss?”.

Most people are happy to give you 15 minutes for a little help (1).

Action question

Who are five people to whom you can send a short message today to exchange ideas and get a motivation boost? Don’t know anyone? Who are five people you can ask to connect you with such people?

Footnotes

(1) Just don’t ask a world expert that get’s already thousand messages like that in his inbox but instead ask someone who has a “normal” life.

The inspiration

We discussed this principle with Service Design and sustainability nerd Haley Anderson. Watch that part of the interview here.

Daniele's notes

• This is the first shitty draft of this principle

• This principle might one day make it in the fifth book in the "Service Design Principles" series that explores how to better serve humans and the planet.

• If you're curious about service design principles, you can get the four previous books in the series, with proofread principles and less grammatical creativity.