I had an interesting conversation with my coach today that sparked a new concept in my mind—something I haven’t seen discussed much online: the idea of passive impact.
It’s somewhat similar to the more familiar notion of passive income, which has been popularized by books like Rich Dad, Poor Dad and The 4-Hour Work Week.
With passive income, you invest time and effort up front into a revenue-generating system, and over time, that system continues to pay you without requiring constant input.
The idea of passive income has become a bit of a trend, perhaps even oversaturated, but it’s a concept that has personally benefited me in my own life.
However, my new realization is that this same principle can apply to something far more meaningful—our impact on the world.
What Is Passive Impact?
Much like passive income, passive impact involves putting in effort upfront to create something that will continue to have an influence long after you’ve stopped actively working on it. In essence, it’s the idea that your initial actions can generate a “dividend” of meaning, just as a financial investment generates monetary dividends.
This is about creating something that continues to benefit others—often people you may never meet—without needing you to continuously put in more effort.
For example, I’ve been building a hypnotherapy clinic where I started by working directly with clients. But as I shifted my focus to training other practitioners and handling the marketing, I noticed a change. Now, those practitioners are working with clients, and while I do receive a small percentage from each session, the more fulfilling part is knowing that the impact is happening independently of me. There are people out there benefiting from the techniques and approaches I helped create, and I don’t even know their names.
Creating Systems for Lasting Impact
When I think about passive impact, it’s not just about the money or building a business. It’s about creating systems and assets that continue to create value for others without my constant involvement. A few years ago, I launched a course called Entrepreneurship for Introverts on Udemy. It’s free and available for anyone to use, and people have been engaging with it regularly. I don’t need to be there, giving the same advice over and over again—the course does that for me. And, it’s been deeply satisfying to see how people benefit from it.
I also have a website where I critique fundamentalist religion, and it’s had a similar passive impact. People reach out to me about how the content helped them escape the grip of harmful organizations or gain clarity in their personal healing. It’s humbling to know that something I created continues to affect lives, even when I’m not directly involved.
Building a Legacy of Meaning
This got me thinking about the bigger picture—how can I continue to create things that leave a lasting impression, even when I’m not around? The idea of writing a book has been on my mind lately. To me, books are one of the ultimate forms of passive impact. If I were to die tomorrow, the book would still exist, continuing to offer knowledge, insights, or comfort to those who come across it. It’s about leaving something behind that can serve others in the long run, creating a ripple effect that outlives my active involvement.
So while passive income focuses on financial gain, passive impact focuses on generating meaning and influence over time. It’s about creating assets that provide value to others without constant upkeep, and the satisfaction of knowing that your work is making a difference even when you’re not directly involved.
How Can You Create Passive Impact?
If you’re someone who wants to make a difference in the world but feels overwhelmed by the idea of constantly needing to be “on,” passive impact might be a concept worth exploring. Whether it’s through creating educational content, writing a book, starting a movement, or even training others in your field, there are countless ways to leave a lasting imprint. It’s about thinking beyond the moment and asking: How can I build something that will continue to help others without my constant attention?
I hope this concept resonates with you, and if it does, I encourage you to start thinking about how you can create your own forms of passive impact. Whether you start small or aim big, the ripple effects could be more powerful than you imagine.
Perhaps this blog post is itself a form of passive impact—one that will continue to inspire long after I’ve written it.
