What does Impact mean to you?

A couple of days back, my roommate was up all night working and attending calls. I am a heavy sleeper, so that didn't bother me. When I woke up at 7 in the morning, she had already left for work. I found a packet of chocolate, potato chips and a note beside me, which read, "Sorry for being too loud late at night". It was a small act of kindness but had a lasting impact. Five long days have passed, and I'm still thinking about it, and typing about it. That gesture pushed me to do something to make someone smile that day. That small act led me to do something I didn't usually do. This is what impact means to me; a small action that influences to do something extraordinary.

Throughout life, we experience many significant moments that push us to do better and influence us to become better versions of ourselves. It could be an idea shared by a guest speaker in your college, a helpful gesture by a stranger, a friend sharing their struggle story over a cup of tea, a quote from a book or words from your parents. Any action, thoughts or ideas that leave a mark on individuals is impact.

In 2022, I was working on a documentary about Odisha's tribal handicrafts. One of the craftworks that we came across was the paddy craft, made using unhusked rice grains. It takes a lot of hard work, patience and mastery to craft these masterpieces. In one of the interviews, the paddy craft artist told us people often hesitate to buy these hand-made products because they don't think it's worth the price. She said people don't value the hard work of their own people but spend thousands on Western products. And then it hit me that I have done the same thing. That conversation left an impact on all of us. Many of my team members and I bought tribal handicraft works from these artists. And that's what impact does to people; it encourages you to help others.

Impact can go beyond you as well. When we presented our documentary in class, many people were moved by the artist's words. And that's what collective impact does. It changed the perception of 40 people in a classroom. Imagine if we take the right actions and utter the right words, our voice will have the power to shape people's mindset and influence them to do something bigger than themselves. It has the potential to change the world. That is the power of impact.

Impact is the catalyst for change. It can transform you into an empathetic person, a generous person, or a person with a vision to make the world to a better place. Every action we take, every word we speak, and every sentence we type holds the power to influence someone. As individuals, we must understand the potential of impact. It can change the world. All it takes is a small action and you can make someone do extraordinary things.