On my way to work in Amsterdam, I pass many houses built during an era when my country wreaked havoc on the world. My ancestors pillaged, murdered, enslaved, and stole, all to enrich themselves and their country. And most people knew.

They disapproved, and some even organized protests. Journalists wrote articles, and politicians objected. But the benefits and profits were too great, and so the carnage continued.

Fast forward to the second world war. Again, in my country, most people knew about the fate of the Jewish people. There were rumors, objections, maybe even some protests, but most people shrugged it off, took the path of least resistance (except the resistance, obviously), and went about their lives.

This brings us to today: our current crisis is climate change.

We all know it. Some politicians object. A lot of articles are written, and most people are worried and think something should be done. But then life goes on.

We keep booking our flights, driving our cars, and supporting the bigger companies in our midst who thrive on our inaction. There’s a saying that everybody loves progress, but nobody likes change. I think that’s especially true when it comes to this topic: we all want to do good, unless it means we have to do something.

I can understand if you feel this comes across as pessimistic or even hypocritical. Who am I blaming exactly, and what about my own behavior? Am I not just as guilty?

I own a fossil fuel car, sure, but I use it as little as possible. And when I travel between countries, I usually choose to go by train… until it becomes too inconvenient, I’ll relent and book a flight. I buy clothing, gadgets, and other stuff that I know pollutes the earth. So should I shut up? Or is it possible to make things better without changing all of your own faults first?

I think it is.

You don’t have to be perfect to push for things around you to improve. You can be against the meat industry, even if you eat meat every now and again. And you can fly to a climate change conference and still push for results.

In the end, I believe the most consistent way forward is for lots of imperfect individuals to take small steps in the right direction. What then starts off as a small gradual movement will eventually lead to change on a bigger scale.

So, forget about trying to be perfect and take your small step towards fighting against climate change. You don’t have to be the force of complete change, but you can be the tiny spark that might ignite a movement.

And yes, I’m explicitly talking about climate change here, but this all applies to careers, projects, and companies as well. You can’t build something in a vacuum, and you'll always have to take the first step, even when you feel like the world isn’t ready for you just yet. But that’s how all significant change happens.