In June, I attended the 7x24 Exchange Intl. 2023 Spring Conference. While I was there, I went to a particularly inspiring keynote session presented by Chris Crosby and titled “The Unappreciated Value.” If you were there, then you know you could have filled a moderately sized treasure chest with all the golden nuggets he shared. But, one of the things he said really stuck with me.

How come doctors and lawyers practice and we don’t?

We act as if we can go to school, study a subject, master it, and stay that way forever. But, we can't. If the industry is always changing, then we have to be changing too.

Unfortunately, change isn't seamless. We're human. We're going to think something is a good idea, try it, and realize we were wrong. We're going to make mistakes. We're going to fail.

But, if practice makes perfect, then why don't we practice?

I encourage everyone reading this to practice in all aspects of both their personal and professional lives — practice being healthy, kind, understanding, empathetic, resourceful, etc. But, I'd also like to challenge you to practice being more sustainable.

Whether you incorporate it into your daily life or make a weekly or monthly commitment, start somewhere. I am making a promise to spend at least 10 minutes a day focused 100% on sustainability. Why 10 minutes? Because I know I can afford it and that, even though it might be small, it has the potential to make a huge difference.

What can I do in 10 minutes? A lot. I can delete thousands of emails that are taking up cyberspace in a data center somewhere. I can delete all of the screenshots on my camera roll that I don't need anymore. I can go for a walk and pick up trash. I can plant flowers. I can research ways to be more sustainable. I can unsubscribe from digital and paper newsletters, announcements that I no longer want. I can walk somewhere close instead of driving. I can plan my errands to be as efficient as possible. I can talk about these things to friends and strangers who are not a part of the industry and may not be as aware as I am.

I can make this list go on forever, but I am going to end it here. I know we're all busy, so I will leave the parameters up to you. But, keep in mind that a little effort can go a long way.

So, what do you say ... challenge accepted?