Inspiration from Bono
It may surprise you, but this post has very little to do with the music of U2. I was inspired to write it after listening to the audiobook of Bono’s autobiography, Surrender. Despite being a fan of U2 for over 30 years, I came away with a deep appreciation of his other work, that went far beyond music.
Two things became very clear to me. Firstly, the importance of doing good right. Secondly, the significance of going beyond words.
Doing good right
Bono has always promoted meaningful causes but as he makes clear in the book, his name will only get you through the door. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done after this happens. If I’m honest, celebrity activists and influencers often leave me with a deep sense of unease.
You don’t know who’s influencing them, their intentions and more importantly, their grasp of the thing they’re talking about. It’s often found that their lives and their actions don’t align with their stated values.
Bono is different. For me, a lot of it comes down to his wife Ali. From everything I’ve seen, she clearly knows how to do good right. I was particularly impressed with her drive to gain meaningful academic qualifications during the early years of the band. This was followed by tough work ‘going beyond words’ on the ground in places like Chernobyl.
Bono has done a lot more than put his name to good causes.
His work to bring real change to Africa is a great example. Changing hearts and minds and getting support to tackle the HIV/AIDs crisis and drop crippling debts was a significant challenge. This battle wouldn’t be won with promotional videos, benefit concerts and special edition iPods. This battle would be won with engagement, often with high-level politicians.
To get things done, Bono would have to work closely with the Bush administration and even the President himself. This was difficult, as they were often seen as ‘the enemy’ by those close to him. It was hard, demanding work that often came at a cost. He would have to make compromises and came under fire from both sides.
For me, this is a core component of ‘doing good right’ and it highlights the need to constantly keep yourself in check. To remain focused on the big picture while making necessary compromises. Closing the door unnecessarily will often result in people not getting the help they need. All of this isn’t spoken about enough and often, you need a lot more than words to get things done.
Going beyond words
There was one line in the book that really got my attention. Bono speaks about the need to evangelise through your actions. In a world that seems to be overrunning with talk, division and dishonesty, this is clearly what we should all be aiming for.
If you want to convince someone something is right or encourage them to do something, you should set the example. We should all pay attention to the people who don’t show you who they are, or resort to threats, judgment or condemnation to encourage you to think like them.
My mind is immediately filled with an image of the late Jimmy Carter, still building houses for the disadvantaged in his 90s. Going beyond words. Bono also talks about times when he and Ali have been ‘on the ground’ in tough locations. Another part of the book that got my attention is when he casually mentioned how they visited their sons in Jordan, who were volunteering as relief workers.
Bono could easily just be the frontman of U2. Preach to the audience between songs and put his name to various causes. Maybe appear in a video or join a politician on stage for a financial reward. He could also post endlessly on social media and lecture everyone on what good looks like.
He doesn’t. He goes beyond words. He evangelises through his actions.
When he spoke about this in the book, he was of course talking about religion and spirituality. This concept becomes a lot more significant when we think about it in this context. I’ll leave it to you to work out what that means.
How Bono inspires me
The things he spoke about in his book seemed familiar to me. While working in the charity sector and promoting good causes, I’ve seen how important it is to challenge assumptions. To work with people you or others may not completely agree with, in service of a higher and far more significant objective.
I’ve seen what happens when people just want to talk. Be seen to have their say and look like they are doing something. I’ve also seen what happens when people are too close to an issue to really contribute and be objective.
Unfortunately, I’ve also seen what happens when people are just trying to further their own personal agendas instead of trying to help. That’s where people get hurt. This is why the concept of doing good right is so important to me. It’s where real change can happen. It requires compromise though, and the real skill here is to retain your core values.
Bono’s work has show me what’s possible. It’s reminded me that hard work is always required after the right words. It also becomes clear that you usually have to work within a system and carefully work it out, no matter who you are. More importantly, authority, influence and money aren’t enough alone to get things done.
It’s all about doing good right and going beyond words. Don’t be told what good looks like. Insist on seeing it.