Why “Somebody Should Raise Money” Means Nobody Will
When natural disasters strike, I get a lot of messages. People text me, tweet me, Facebook me, email me, etc.
At some point in the message or conversation, I inevitably read this phrase: “Somebody should raise money for these people in need.”
Honestly, I think most people are hoping that I’ll raise the money. And I’m okay with that. I feel honored that people think of me when they become aware of big needs. But for a lot of reasons, it’s not always possible. So, I typically respond with a short and simple question:
Why don’t YOU raise the money?
When I ask that question, I’m not trying to be sarcastic. And I’m not trying to avoid the responsibility. I simply want to know their answer. The crazy thing is that most people are totally surprised by my comeback. It’s as if it never even crossed their minds that they could lead the charge. It was in one of those interactions that I decided to write my book, Fundraising Rocket. Because I really do believe in people. And I really am confident that anybody can raise money for anything. Especially if their intentions are good. And especially if they follow The One-Page Plan outlined in my book.
The phrase, “somebody should” is commonplace.
In the culture I live in, I hear it all the time:
- “The government should do something about that.”
- “That school should fix that problem.”
- “A local business should take that on as a project.”
- “Somebody should start that business.”
- “This is an issue that more people should get involved with.”
Here’s what I want to ask you to do: be the somebody. Just do it. Just be it!
That business, need or cause that you feel passionate about—that you can’t get off your mind—take a step toward being the answer. I believe you can!
I also believe this: somebody becomes nobody when it comes to raising money. Somebody should means nobody will.
You be the somebody.
Casey Graham is the CEO and founder of The Rocket Company. His book, Fundraising Rocket, can be found online and Amazon.com and fundraisingrocket.com.