| Thomas Paine wrote, "Common Sense" and | | | | and mundane? What is your modern-day fight |
| Thomas Jefferson authored "The Declaration of | | | | against? Bird-flu, hunger, terrorism, or global |
| Independence." Both were writings that targeted | | | | warming? How do you stop that from your little |
| and sent a clear message to King George III at a | | | | piece of the globe? |
| time when the British ruled the world, by land and | | | | It begins with an idea. You look at what's around |
| by sea. But high taxation and a lack of | | | | you and think how it could be made better. It |
| representation caused a problem for the common | | | | could be a new device or theory, but it's far |
| man in eighteen century colonial America. It also | | | | more likely to be a business plan. That's not to |
| angered those very same patriots and so they | | | | say you couldn't write a book, compose a song, |
| felt they had sufficient cause to release | | | | or paint a masterpiece. But what would be |
| themselves from the yoke of their oppressors. | | | | earth-changing about artwork? A new business |
| By 1789, after a long and grueling conflict, the | | | | might alter our planet. Look at Microsoft, Apple, or |
| rest, as they say, was history. | | | | Wal-Mart. Think of the genetics companies and |
| So what type of person flies in the face of | | | | pharmaceutical firms making vaccines and |
| conventional wisdom, possibly risking life and limb, | | | | remedies for cancers and diseases. They make |
| and declares themselves a rebel? These two | | | | us life longer and better. So, with that in mind, |
| "Toms" were supported by many other of similar | | | | what's your idea? As a revolutionist, you need |
| mindset, but had the audacity to actually write | | | | something that will give hope for the future. Stuck |
| down their thoughts and post them to be seen | | | | for a concept? Let me share just one example. |
| by the enemy, as it were. It took courage and | | | | Where can you turn to for a quality, competent |
| foresight. They were ground-breaking men that | | | | doctor, that wasn't recommended by a hospital or |
| were probably asked to rethink their positions | | | | other doctor with obvious bias? You would ask a |
| many times along the way. After all, what | | | | nurse, of course. So that's what one nurse did. |
| intelligent person goes up against the might of the | | | | She asked her fellow nurses to help her build a |
| British Empire with a handful of rag-tag farmers? | | | | database of doctors, nationwide, that people could |
| Yet, if it weren't for them, today you would have | | | | rely on. It became, "thenurseschoice.com" and she |
| a British accent and be munching on tea and | | | | put it on the Internet. Then she added a complete |
| crumpets. But did they really know that they | | | | resource of health information. So now, one can |
| were revolutionists and about to alter the entire | | | | find doctors referred by nurses and what's that |
| world forever? Or were they just doing the right | | | | worth? What is your health worth? Was she an |
| thing for their fellow men and themselves? | | | | innovator in the tradition of Jefferson? Will she |
| What does it take to make a difference? A new | | | | help shape the course of the next generation by |
| invention, an archeological find, or a wondrous | | | | providing better quality healthcare? Look at her |
| discovery? A break-through in physics or finding a | | | | site and you be the judge. Then go out and |
| new planet? Or can it be something rather small | | | | become a revolutionist for yourself. |