The Swing State Advantage

With the 2012 presidential election less than a month away Coloradans are being inundated with political ads. They’re on TV, in the mail, on the phone and every other conceivable medium. As the tone of TV spots gets more and more shrill, I (and I never thought I would say this) actually miss “Dealin’ Doug” the car salesman!

The political onslaught is primarily due to Colorado being a swing state – thought to be one of a handful of undecided states that will turn the election one way or the other. As a swing state, Colorado voters could change the course of the election and maybe even the future of our nation. This responsibility and opportunity to influence change and make a difference got me thinking – how else could Colorado be a swing state? In what other ways could we impact the future of our state and nation?

Just think about:

• What if we were a swing state in economic freedom?
• In opportunity?
• In entrepreneurship?
• In health and fitness?
• In high school graduation?
• In teaching kids to think for themselves?
• In civility, in respect, in kindness?
• In adoptions of foster kids?
• In volunteerism?
• In philanthropy?
• In honoring and taking care of our elderly?
• In inspiring kids to be courageous, hard -working and responsible?
• In making technology accessible?
• In gratefulness?

What if we were a leader in some, if not all of these areas? Imagine the influence Colorado could have on the rest of the nation. All it would take is a shift in priorities for those with the opportunity to make a change.

But the truth is it doesn’t take a whole state – we all have that opportunity.

We can all swing something or somebody once we swing ourselves into action. You can turn things in your life and your world in a better direction. I love what Lily Tomlin said about this – “I always wondered why somebody didn’t do something about that, then I realized I was somebody.”

Is there anything on the list you could get passionately behind? Is there something else you really care about and would like to see a “swing” toward? Start with the thing that makes you smile or causes your heart to swell when you think about it. What is one small action you could take to swing things that way?

Now is your opportunity.