RACHEL ISHOFSKY

So much of the world we live in is transactional. Community (among its many virtues) creates a space where we can give and receive without expectation of return. The communities of which I am a part (there are many, but currently I'm prioritizing Showing Up for Racial Justice [SURJ] and Healthy Living  Community) give me both an opportunity to practice generosity, and a space to ask for what I need. I value this deeply, and allocate time, energy, services, and money from my practice to those communities that sustain me.  

None of us know the answers--our power lies in asking the right questions. To me, leading with curiosity means letting go of our assumptions and opening ourselves up to possibility. I’m not deterred by things that are “impossible.” I believe instead in asking “how might we make it possible?” and “what can we learn from those who’ve come before us?”

Our society loves stories of founders sacrificing everything (health, relationships, money, etc.) in pursuit of their dream, but these stories are detrimental. I’ve been that founder, and it took me years to recover. Now, I prioritize my physical and mental health, my relationships, and my interests alongside my work, and encourage my clients to do the same. We cannot build sustainable organizations if our own lives are not sustainable.

There’s a certain magic that happens when good people come together over good work. Most of us have felt it, and many of us don’t feel it often enough. I work with clients that excite, inspire, and motivate me, and it is my profound hope that I do the same for them.

This quote from Grace Lee Boggs has become a mantra and a daily reminder that the world we inhabit is a reflection of the people in it. This is equally true of the organizations we build. We cannot transform our society or our organizations without first transforming ourselves. It starts with us.