Ultimately, things that the Foundation For a Better Life names (things like courage, ambition, hope, achievement) all lead to self-betterment. But the one virtue that really leads a person to living a better life is sacrifice. Whether it be sacrifice of time, of talent, of treasure--giving up a part of your self for the benefit of another or others is what leads people to truly successful lives.
What I wish that more people realized is that these sacrifices don’t have to be large, as long as they are meaningful. Many people, if they choose to perform service at all, choose large, well-hyped projects so as to appear ambitious and, in a sense, super-human. Others just find the idea of service to be too large, looming, and time-consuming.
Service is not about networking, or image, or any of the selfish spins that some people put on it. Service is about stepping outside of yourself and your problems—whether it be to address another person’s problem, a community’s problem, a nation’s problem, or an overriding problem of society as a whole.
“A lot of little actions add up to huge changes in the world,” says Kristi Shoemaker, member of the Leadership Lincoln Board of Directors. “I think people can forget that it’s the small things that often make a difference.” This year Leadership Lincoln is recognizing 305 everyday heroes for the service and sacrifices they incorporated into their daily lives.
Flashing a smile at someone you pass on the street could turn a day from gloomy to bright. Being positive and vocal in the work or classroom environment could inspire your peers to approach their work in an entirely new way. You have the potential to change the world through your actions.
You can initiate this change through one person, one deed, one phrase, one gesture, one smile. Do you live everyday on purpose? Do you live it as an example? Maybe it’s time to start.
Think about it and, as the FBL says, “pass it on.”
