12 Characteristics of Revolutionary

Dear reader, I’d like to share with you what I have learned as I came back from Singapore when I attended G12 International Conference.
At one session, Pastor Richard Withman shared about how to be a revolutionary people. These messages have been blessing my life and so much encouraging me. In this world we can find some people that we can acclaim as a revolutionary. Let say Mahatma Gandhi, Alexander the Great, Mother Theresia, Soekarno, Barrack Obama, Mahatma Gandhi, and even Jesus. Those extraordinary people have 12 characters in common.
Now, I will elaborate this to you start from the smallest character up to the biggest character that impacting the world.

12. Creative
A revolutionary is a creative person. They could find different and unique yet efficient approach to solve many problems. Sometimes they might create a new idea or method to maintain the welfare. Being creative also means doing something not in a monotonous way. So be creative if you want to be a revolutionary.

11. against status quo
Well, what does it mean with status quo? According to the dictionary, status quo refers to the existing condition or state of affairs. A revolutionary is someone who doesn’t concern about his/her status quo in order to work for something good. Let me tell you something. One of Indonesian national hero is R. A. Kartini. She came from noble family in 1800’s and got educated because of hers social class. But she didn’t stop at there. With her experience and education she wanted to make a breakthrough that all Indonesian girls could be able attend school. At that time girls were not allowed to go to school or if she could only until certain higher level. Kartini along with her dreams and supporter fought against tradition, custom, and her status quo in effort that all Indonesian women could go to school and be well educated. So if you want to be a revolutionary don’t stay at your comfort zone and have a mindset that all the title embedded with you will not prohibit you to be ‘different’ in a good way. Even Jesus according to the Bible is a Son of God and King, yet He humbled Himself to serve His disciple and laid down His life to save us as believer. No wonder He is the most influencing person in this planet earth and until now He has the biggest followers ever.

10. Irrelevant to the system.
What am I going to talk about being irrelevant with the system is be dare enough to make your own way in legal term. I know many of you guys hate the system or rule. It is not always bad to break the rule as long as you understand the result and pay off of being breaking the rule or system. Always remember love your neighbors like you love yourself. Do anything but do not harm any people. Go far for your dream.

9. Float, not perfect.
Nobody’s perfect and everybody knows that. Since we know that there are many uncertainties in the world, it is always important to equip our plan, idea, or even our self with plan B. Back up is very important. How we could get a backup plan? Learn from experience. It could be yours as well as others. Beside, always ask the suggestion of the expert or older people. The proverbs teach us to have counsel from many people to help us to achieve our goal. But it is very important to know which suggestion or counsel is worthy to listen to. That’s why we should learn and learn to achieve perfectness.

8. They turn to their follower. What going to happen if a leader didn’t listen to their followers? Their followers would leave them, right? A revolutionary always has followers behind them. If none, then he’s not a revolutionary. In order to take care about the followers, a revolutionary should turn to them and talk about their needs. Why Mother Theresa was being famous and has many followers? because she didn’t care about herself solely, but pay extra attention to others. A revolutionary is not a selfish person. They impact others by listening and turning to others need. And remember no one become number one without contribution of others. It is important to have empathy for others. Instead of love, it is empathy that would help us to turn to other.

7. Be an Expert.
A revolutionary is well known with his/her ability. Barrack Obama is well known with his charisma in politic, Lady Gaga well known with her unique music style, or Mariah Carey with her 7-octave voice. They become history maker with their skill. How could we become an expert? It is always good to know what is your interest or talents, because interest and talents work simultaneously. We can find out them by doing some character assessment, hang out with many different people from different profession, or do many activities to find out what is your interest. If you already know what is your talent, work for it! Develop your skill and be an expert in it. Do not afraid of how to make money from your interest. Many people succeed in their career because they seek excellently in their interest and money just follows them all the way.

6. Being Hated.
Hmm.. I know this sounds NOT GOOD for many of you. But it is true, a revolutionary is always being hated by others because they against the status quo, walking in irrelevant system, creative, or even perfectionist. Many people hated Adolf Hitler for being so cruel to the Jews, yet he is a revolutionary. Same thing happens to Mahatma Gandhi. British colonial hated him because his way led Indian people against colonial but in passive way. So, stand strong in your faith, integrity, and seek excellently in whatever you do. Do not worry, thou some people hate you, there’s always be at least someone who cares about you. Always keep this in mind and do not be discouraged if someday people start to hate you. This is a step of being revolutionary.

5. Risk Taker.
Low risk, low profit. High risk, high profit.
A revolutionary dares to take high risk. It shows the world that they are men of courage and leaders. Napoleon Bonaparte took a risk in many battles and he won it. He became a great hero in French and world history. Do not afraid to take a risk. It might be “scary” but if you win it you’ll get something benefits you. But if you fail, don’t be discourage but remember there’s always be something to learn that would benefit you or others someday.

4. Passionate
Wow, passionate is the greatest motivation that brings people to achieve their dreams. Without passionate anything you do would remain in plain or vain. That’s not good, eh?
To be a revolutionary man you should have passion in live and to achieve your dreams. Passion is such a fuel for your inner motor, a battery for your body, or even energy for you to run and fly. Passion can be found from people around you, the one you loved, or your idol like your favorite politician, actress, athlete, or any figure you admire. So, be passionate. Passion will drive you to be creative and pursue excellently in your work.

3. Focus.. Focus.. Focus..
There’s power of being focused. Imagine you are holding a needle that usually used to sew. The needle has two edges. One edge is blunt and the other is sharp. The blunt edge could not used to make a small hole for sewing but the sharp point could in fact these two edges come from one needle made from same material. Why? because the sharp edge is focused. Let say that your cloth is the problem and the needle is you, if you are not focused, you could not break the cloth, but if you are focused, no matter how thick the cloth would be, it is possible for you to make a hole on it or in other word is a breakthrough. Interesting, huh?
So, do not mesmerized your live with too-many- activities. Be wise to eliminate some unproductive activities and focused on certain areas.

2. Determined
Maybe you have tried all those methods to be a revolutionary or to achieve your dream. Do not give up. Keep doing the right thing until something happened and you see the result. Be a persistent. Don’t be a hit-and-run person, but keep learning and learning. And do not be discouraged. When you are tired, it’s allowed to take a break and recharge your battery. Did you know that resting is a part of productivity? Maintaining healthy life is a part of being determined. In healthy body there’s a healthy soul and spirit. How could you become passionate if your body is tired?.
So, keep in mind to stay focused and be persistent. Do not give up. You always have capability to tackle all your problems and discouraging environment. Remember what Apostle Paul said “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

And now, the top character is...
1. Committed.
Stick and be faithful to your dream and focus. Give up everything that might not enable you to seek your dream and goal in life.
Though you are facing hard time, do not give it all away. No one could succeed in life without being committed. A revolutionary like Steve Jobs is so much dedicated with Apple. Or the extreme one is Hachiko, a Japanese dog. How he was being so much committed to his master touch many people in Japan and all over the world.
Same thing happened with Jesus. For He is so committed to His Father that He could bear all of or sin, died on the cross and rose again at the three days.

Well reader, I hope you understand what I’m trying to elaborate to you. This message has been a blessing for me and burning in my heart to pursue my dream and God’s vision in me. I want to share the blessing for you so you would be blessed to.

Love,
xoxo