Sustainability is a frame of mind

How do we find the best solutions to the universal problems we are faced with? Sustainability is more about the attempt than it is about the end result because it is often the case that the "best" or most sustainable thing hasn't been discovered yet.

In terms of your business, sustainability is more about making informed decisions and cutting consumption in places you can control than it is about finding the ideal "net zero" or even the "zero waste" solution. Needless to say, realistic implementation of sustainability is about small percentages applied to much larger ideas or systems. One step a day, every day, leads to big change. The phrase is usually something like, "just try to improve by 1% each day, and after 100 days, you'll be 100% better than you were before".

If we can keep our decision-making process grounded, we have the ability to make real changes over time that will result in significant, measurable, and valuable savings - and growth. If we frame all of our decisions only in terms of a singular pre-defined end goal, it becomes significantly more difficult to find the right path because we are aiming at a pre-defined goal, rather than allowing the "best" option to reveal itself. Small decisions, small reductions, and realistic goals are the key to reducing our environmental impacts and saving money. Sometimes, this requires selling at a loss.

Hint: The Answer is NOT Consistency

Contrary to popular belief, it is not about Consistency.

It's about the pursuit of Betterment and growth through challenging traditional perspectives and a thoughtful approach to Cognitive Dissonance.

Consistency is defined as doing the same thing over time in an unchanging manner. While this may earn riches over time when you find a working model, it does not make for the best or most sustainable life or the happiest circumstances in every case. Not to mention the fact that consistency can sometimes be impossible, or at least miserable. Who wants to do exactly the same thing over and over again? Unless of course, the sustainability of that action creates improvements and pays off in a permanent way? Being consistent is great when it leads to healthy and sustainable output, but its often true that it doesn't. Becoming consistent takes time, energy, discipline, and effort. Sometimes, just to get outpaced by innovation or social changes. Who, in today's world, is still consistently using Morse Code to communicate? Who in today's world is still consistently relying on dial-up internet? being consistent is only good if it leads to improvement. Otherwise, consistency can make you go insane.

Some of the happiest people on earth live outside of the building, let alone "on the ground floor." You don't need to work in the corner office to be successful. You just need to make, work towards, and achieve goals with effort and intentionality. Some days will be great and productive, others maybe not. But the real lesson here is that Diligence is not the same as Consistency.

Sustainability demands perspective and betterment of oneself, and not necessarily through monetary means. You can't get better if you just do the same thing over and over and never try to understand the whole picture. After all, isn't the definition of insanity "doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results"? Diligence is consistency over time, but not consistency every day.

This is why innovation and challenging the traditional ways of thinking is so critically important. Without diligently pursuing sustainability, we end up making the same mistakes over and over again.

Life is about a great deal more than the pursuit of bright and shiny objects that other people have. Riches and wealth are not the same. It's about care and concern for your community and the people who are close to you. Sustainability is about perspective, gratitude, life, and growth, and conversely life is about sustainability.

In order to build better buildings, in support of better economics, better community, and better business, we need to refocus on HOW we build them, and the details of an ideal lifestyle. Forward thinking, intentionality, and perseverance. i.e. Adaptability and Resiliency are the goals as well as the journey.

More sustainable structures must come from this challenging innovative mindset, and a future focused perspective that is incorporated into the structure of the plan. Before we act, we must think about how the actions are going to make things improve. Otherwise, action without forethought is folly.

Sustainability and The Importance of Innovation

As a business, if you aren't innovating in the marketplace, then you're falling behind the curve of sustainability. However, how is one supposed to constantly innovate? when is it good enough? Sustainability is about answering these questions and focusing our efforts on the incremental growth of these topics.

How can we balance economic growth, social equity, and environmental protection—the three pillars of sustainability—in policy and practice?

How do policies and interventions affect different communities, especially vulnerable or marginalized groups, and how can equity be ensured in sustainability transitions?

What are the barriers to implementing sustainable practices, and how can they be overcome at local, national, and global scales?

What are the long-term implications of current decisions and actions for future generations and ecosystems?

In most cases, just finding viable, scientifically framed and objective answers to these kinds of questions and focusing on small changes and perspective shifts can make a big difference over time. Don't take tools and resources for granted. Recognize that each tool developed is an important step towards the goal. Just remember to reframe, reassess, and analyze the end goal each time a big step is made. Be open-minded and agreeable, and accepting of new possibilities and points of view. The injection of new perspective can prevent stale and stagnant growth. Who knows, maybe you'll end up in a much better place than before. With or without the money.

Thanks for reading!

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