Change agents are people with a relentless sense of curiosity, passion, and optimism. They have a deep respect for the history of change that has brought about revolutions and transformations just in the past generation across scales and sectors.

They are not necessarily people with positional power, dramatic social influence, or the superiority of resources. They are people who are good at translating large dreams often considered by others as impossible into smaller possible actions that make a difference and move things toward a different future.

Here are five principles to live by if you're a change agent in your organization, industry or community.

1. View permission as something taken not given
Your questions and vision for change by definition will not win support, consensus, or permission by those who feel served and rewarded by the status quo. Give ourself permission and do not base your self-esteem or the worthiness of your pursuit on the strength of their approval.

2. Learn from action
Change agents have a bias for action learning over learning by discussion and debate. When change requires improvisation, creativity, and innovation, no amount of talk and analysis has the value of even small actions that lead to fast empirical learning and adjusting. Action is a better teacher than speculation and assumption any day.

3. Engage people shamelessly
Invite people into the change in any way they can contribute. Become more of a facilitator and engager than solo hero. Engage people without hesitation or qualification. Expect that you will find people who want to support you if only they are asked and invited in the first place. Above all, always as the invited to become inviters.

4. Be a good storyteller
Find and share any stories that speak to people's enthusiasm for the changes you're passionate about. Find and share stories that speak to impacts made, progress achieved, and outcomes gained. Tell these stories in as many venues as possible and make the narrative textures of these stories compelling and surprising.

5. Be the change you want to see
Be known for your passion about the change you want to see. Let people see your unwavering and resilient dedication to what you believe and are committed to creating. Make your life become a testimonial to what matters and what you stand for. Make sure everyone you touch feels the inspiration you draw power from.