For my energy community when we feel like we are burning out
Damali Harding
Trusted Advisor to Utilities, Regulators & Stakeholders | Transformational Energy Executive | Innovative Thought Leader
Our work is rooted in movement.
Energy is movement— the flow of electrons between two endpoints.
We cannot do the work of the energy transition without motion. The very word transition means to move from one state of being from one to another.
When we talk about the transition, we are talking about shifting: the shifting of ideas, of influence, of data, minds, and ultimately, of policy.
I am often left in awe when I stop to think about what has to happen for me to simply have light when I flip a switch: the planning of a generation plant, the building of transmission, the market to highlight ebbs and flows of those electrons and even something as germane as having the right plug so I can call my family more than 3,000 miles away (more than 5,000 km for most of the world) if I happen to be in a different country.
And now my friends, we are leading the world into changing this system - to make it more accessible, more reliable, and more resilient. And those of us working in the transition, need to do this thousands of times over. Our work can feel overwhelming. It can feel like picking up a rock on the beach and throwing it into the ocean, hoping it creates a wave. It is frustrating when we have science and facts on our side, yet our critics counter with a catchy slogan and ad hominem attacks.
And yet, that’s what we do–what we MUST do. We have to move our thought leadership, our technical expertise, our analysis, until our pebbles of policy, thrown at the cliff wall, become the avalanche of the energy transition.
And even then, our work is not done.
The urgency of climate change can feel like we need to move ahead at all costs and if we can just make them understand, we can improve life outcomes for all, not just those lucky enough to have working air conditioning during a heat dome. But we cannot burn ourselves out as we need to ensure we are here to land the transition with justice as our outcome.
So I move to make sure I am not stuck in burnout. I celebrate our wins, physically move, and gather with others to shift my mental space. To my energy friends, today I challenge you “What will you do today for yourself to ensure that you can keep flowing just like the electrons?”