The Mattering Revolution begins with a question I’ve carried my whole life: Do I really matter?
I’ve worn a lot of titles: U.S. Navy officer, Fortune 50 executive, author, podcaster. But behind each of those roles, I wrestled with the same quiet question so many of us ask: Does my presence make a difference?
When I was younger, I thought mattering came from achievement. If I climbed high enough, earned enough, proved enough, then surely that would be the answer. And while achievement brought recognition, it didn’t bring what I was really searching for: significance.
Over the years, through moments of both triumph and struggle, I’ve learned a truth that’s both simple and radical: mattering isn’t earned. It’s lived.
Why I’m Calling for a Mattering Revolution
Through thousands of conversations on the Passion Struck Podcast and in keynote events, I’ve seen the same pattern repeat itself. People don’t just crave belonging or recognition; they long for the assurance that their lives make a difference. It’s a hunger that cuts across age, culture, and profession. And it convinces me that the Mattering Revolution isn’t optional; it’s essential.
And I’ve also seen what happens when mattering is absent. Burnout. Loneliness. Polarization. Despair.
When people feel invisible, they stop rising. They stop creating. They stop believing in themselves.
But when mattering is present, the opposite is true. People contribute. They flourish. They show up for each other. They create ripples of impact that extend far beyond themselves.
That’s why I’m calling for a Mattering Revolution.
Belonging Isn’t Enough
On the Passion Struck Podcast, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with leading thinkers about purpose, belonging, and human potential. Again and again, one theme surfaces: belonging matters, but it isn’t enough.
Belonging is being chosen for the team.
Mattering is knowing your presence makes a difference once you’re there.
This distinction changes everything. Because while belonging can be given, mattering has to be lived by the choices we make and the way we treat each other.
Why the Time Is Now
We don’t need more noise, more hustle, more metrics of success. We need meaning. We need recognition. We need mattering.
- Rising Loneliness: The U.S. Surgeon General has declared loneliness a public health epidemic.
- Burnout at Work: Employees don’t just want a paycheck; they want to know their work matters.
- Cultural Division: When people feel unseen, fractures deepen. Recognition is the first step to healing.
- Mental Health Crisis: Anxiety and depression often trace back to the core wound of invisibility.
The evidence is everywhere. The time for a Mattering Revolution is now.
What the Mattering Revolution Looks Like
A world built on mattering doesn’t require perfection, wealth, or fame. It begins with small, intentional choices that ripple outward:
- Choosing presence over distraction.
- Speaking value instead of criticism.
- Acting with integrity, even when no one is watching.
- Creating spaces where people know their voice is wanted and needed.
The revolution is personal, and it’s contagious.
How Can You Join the Mattering Movement?
This isn’t about governments or institutions. It begins with us. With the way we live, the way we speak, and the way we choose to see each other.
- In your family: remind a child that their voice counts.
- In your workplace, show your team that their efforts are seen.
- In your friendships: offer encouragement, not just convenience.
- In your relationships: choose to make love transformational, not transactional, by showing your partner they truly matter.
These choices may seem small, but small ripples become waves. And waves create change.
Final Thought
History remembers revolutions that toppled empires or shifted economies. But the revolution that will matter most in our time won’t happen on battlefields. It will happen in families, workplaces, classrooms, and communities.
It will be the Mattering Revolution.
And I am committed to leading that call, not as an abstract idea, but as a lived truth. Because when people know they matter, they rise. They create. They belong. And they change the world.
Imagine schools where every student grows up knowing their ideas count. Workplaces where leaders don’t just manage performance but cultivate significance. Families where love is spoken not only in words but through consistent reminders of worth. This is not idealism, it’s the blueprint for a stronger, healthier society.
Join the Movement
Listen to the Passion Struck Podcast for conversations that spark belonging and purpose. Join me in building this movement. Subscribe to The Ignited Life for weekly reflections on intentional living, and explore the Start Mattering collection to wear the message that reminds us all: you matter.
