The Friction Between Passion and Progress

By Rick Zwetsch, Founder – LiveImpact.io

“We care so much. Why isn’t it working?”

It’s a question we’ve heard again and again from organizers, volunteers, donors, and every day people trying to move the needle on something that matters. And it gets to the heart of a tension that’s hard to name but easy to feel:

Passion doesn’t always lead to progress. And that disconnect is exhausting.

The Myth of Momentum

We’re told that passion is the fuel for change. Get angry. Get inspired. Get loud. Post the hashtag. Show up at the rally. Launch the campaign. That emotional fire is supposed to spark movements.

But here’s the problem: passion burns hot…and fast.

It can mobilize people quickly but rarely sustains them. Worse, it can create a false sense of momentum. You feel something powerful happening… but the structures and systems you’re up against don’t move just because you feel something deeply.

Where Passion Falls Short

Passion doesn’t always:

- Build strategy
- Measure outcomes
- Align across coalitions
- Survive bureaucracy
- Pay for infrastructure
- Deliver trust to people skeptical of movements

In fact, unchecked passion can lead to burnout, splintering, infighting, and performative action that looks good but does little.

This isn’t a call to temper passion. It’s a call to channel it into sustained, visible, and accountable progress.

Why This Matters for LiveImpact.io

We’re not building LiveImpact.io to replace passion. We’re building it to connect it to progress.

It’s a tool for people who want to see the results of their actions not just feel fired up in the moment. It’s designed to bridge that critical gap between intention and outcome, between showing up and following through.

By tracking real-world actions on a public dashboard, donations made, petitions signed, events attended, hours volunteered, we aim to help passionate people stay motivated. And help skeptical people see that something’s actually happening.

Progress Needs Infrastructure

We often romanticize activism as a spark, a shout, a breaking point. But real change usually looks more like spreadsheets, meeting minutes, recurring donations, long-term policy nudges, and community building you don’t post on Instagram.

We don’t talk enough about the role of infrastructure in impact. Not tech infrastructure, trust infrastructure:

- Systems that make people feel like they’re not wasting their time
- Tools that show what’s been done and what’s left to do
- Platforms that don’t just amplify passion—but make it count

Want to see your actions count? Join us.
LiveImpact.io is people powered and people funded.
Support the build: www.gofundme.com/liveimpact

TL;DR

Passion is a start. But progress needs structure.
LiveImpact.io is being built to give good intentions a place to land - and actions a way to be seen.

[Photo by Marija Zaric]