One Development Area Only, or Several?

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Karlon Rama's current reform interest: saving Cebu City's last corral reef

Before the pandemic, a friend said he didn’t feel inspired by any particular area of reform; he would support other people’s reform because he liked them, but did not have his own agenda.  “I feel like I’m carrying a spear in another person’s opera”, was the colorful way he put it.  Recently we met online and he bewailed the same thing; he was desperate to find a reform area that he could spend the rest of his life on. 


I told him about two other friends: Nagiel Banacia and Ed Karlon Rama.  


Nagiel Banacia can’t drive down a street without noting things that need to be fixed: uncollected garbage, a broken street lamp, a pothole, etc.  He is focused on local governance and public service, through and through. Thankfully he works for a local government unit, and he holds a position that allows him to address many of these things. 


Personally, I find it amazing that some friends have focused on something early and then honed their competence and expertise in that area.  Like Nageal.  Like this person I recently interviewed, who said he own advocacy was SDGs 4 and 9 - Sustainable Development Goals, 4 is Education, while 9 is Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.  It was obvious she had done a lot of learning, thinking, and work on these areas.  


Sometimes, like my friend who couldn’t find a development area to focus on, I feel like a dilettante.  Like I’ve just been flitting like a bourgeoisie butterfly from one thing to another.


And then I told my friend about other development leaders who are perfectly happy immersing in one things after another.  I remember Ed Karlon Rama who, years ago, threw himself into arnis (stick fighting), then sidearms, then taught journalists how to cover conflict situations, then worked in a school, and now pursues policies to preserve the last remaining corral reef in Cebu City.  No anxiety there about being focused on any one area; he enjoys each one of his interests and is happy to consider new things.


I remember Oprah Winfrey said “No experience is wasted. Everything in life is happening to grow you up, to fill you up, to help you become more of who you were created to be.”  Steve Jobs said you can “connect the dots”.  So I guess it is okay to move from one development area to another.


What is common to those who focus on one area, and those who work on different areas is a desire to see the world in better shape.  I told my friend if he is motivated by that, there’s really no need to be worried about finding a focus - the desire to see improvements and development is already one way to focus.


Do you want to focus on a particular development area, or do you want to explore several?

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