From big mistakes to big impact (charity: water)

Scott Harrison made a lifetime of mistakes by the time he was 28. His journey, though broken, ultimately led him to starting charity: water, an organization that revolutionized the nonprofit model and in doing so, provides clean drinking water to 8,000,000+ people.

Today we'll learn lessons on redemption, creative problem solving and creating purpose in our lives and work. Scott reminds us that making BIG change, though difficult, is possible and that the best is absolutely yet to come.

SHOW NOTES:

• Scott was named to Fortune's 40 under 40, Forbes Impact 30 + Fast Company's Most Creative People. Check out these articles share insight on Scott's approach that turned the nonprofit model upside down + increased his impact 10x.
• Get Scott's new book THIRST here.
• "We're trying to bring clean + safe drinking water to everyone on earth.There are 660 million people drinking dirty water. We think that number should be zero."
• "I was rotting on the inside... I realized there would never be enough. As I looked around [I realized there would always be] people with a little more."
• "My epiphany was like a game of musical chairs. The music stopped and for the first time there was no where to sit."
• I hate my life. I'm morally + spiritually bankrupt. I asked what would the opposite of my life look like? My answer: Serving God and the poor + quitting all this crap that I'm doing. I said okay + I pledged to do that. 
• Volunteering in Africa I realized dirty drinking water was responsible for much of the disease. Instead of volunteering to get more doctors, I made my life's mission getting clean water for everyone.
• Scott's research showed that people didn't trust nonprofits / he had to create a model in which 100% of donations would go directly to the cause.
• charity: water has 1,000,000+ donors supporting 30,000 well projects. They created an online community to expedite their goal of ensuring everyone on earth has clean water. I joined + invite you to join, too: Check out my page here.

Love hearing about Scott's impact? Check out episode #96 with guest Tom Logan who is tackling the same issue with a different approach.

Love hearing about how Scott went from a high-profile life of vice to a high-impact life of virtue? Check out episode #58 with Matt Emerzian for another refreshing story of redemption and impact. 

SCOTT HARRISON'S LIVE INSPIRED 7

1. What is the best book you’ve ever read? Getting Things Done by David Allen and The Message.

2. What is a characteristic or trait that you possessed as a child that you wish you still exhibited today? Innocense.

3. Your house is on fire, all living things and people are out. You have the opportunity to run in and grab one item. What would it be? My mom's book; the story of her life that she wrote and never published.

4. You are sitting on a bench overlooking a gorgeous beach. You have the opportunity to have a long conversation with anyone living or dead. Who would it be? Albert Schweitzer. Why did you do it all? What was driving you?

5. What is the best advice you've ever received? Put integrity at the core of everything you do. I ask myself: Is this thing right? Don't cut corners or take the easy way out.

6. What advice would you give your 20-year-old self? Dude, are you serious? Get a haircut an don't waste all this time just to come full circle.

7. It’s been said that all great people can have their lives summed up in one sentence. How do you want yours to read? He fought to inspire greater generosity and compassion and helped bring clean water to everybody on the planet.

Bonus #8: What do your mom and dad think about their prodigal son these days? They are so proud. It's painful to watch my dad show how proud he is in public! They know it is consistent and don't have fear that I will revert back. They know that it took and that I'll finish well.

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