Making better

Are you making the world a better place?

That’s SUCH a deep question, both for your role as a leader and for you personally. I’ve found it to be the one question that’s sustained my energy over the decades.

For me personally, I weave in and out of giving a positive response. But I do seek to get involved in organizations which will magnify and focus making an impact.

I used to think that a driving question was: “Am I still having fun?”. The problem is that I’ve done a lot of things I wouldn’t consider fun, exactly, but where I wanted to do the hard work because it would make things better. What “things”? It depends on the situation.

I also have toyed with the concept that I’m continuing to learn new things. That’s great, and it does motivate me, but it feels too inward-focused. I want the world to be just a little better because I was here.

Another similar desire is for people to appreciate what I’ve done. But that feels very short-term and surface. I can appreciate a great tasting ice cream, but I can’t honestly say that it’s made my life better. Well, for just a little while, I suppose.

If I try to be valuable to “the world”, then that seems awful darned big. I’m just one person off in Colorado, known by rather few people. So that’s where being part of a larger effort can magnify what I do. In my case, it’s a Rotary Club, so I’m connected with over a million people who are having impact worldwide. I can see how my tiny little contribution of time and money is making that huge difference to people around the planet.

And that’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.

It matters.