“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Gandhi
Earlier this week I posted an article entitled, “Business-Minded Spirituality.” My plan wasn’t to prove that businesses are inherently good-intentioned, only that one can have a successful business while still keeping their morals and values intact.
Businesses themselves are tremendously powerful vehicles for change, but they don’t just fall from the sky. They start within the mind of a single individual – with an idea, a thought, or an intention. The individual who acts upon these ideas changes his world, whether it is for better or worse.
A better self means a better world, no matter how small or large our impact might be.
This is a powerful insight. If we can recognize our personal growth as part of the growth of a greater whole, we can begin to align ourselves with this greater sense of purpose and passion. Instantly, we become more inspired and motivated to improve life conditions for both our self and others.
Please take a moment to reflect on your own goals of self-improvement. Ask: “In what ways do these goals benefit the world as a whole?” If you cannot find any reasons – you may want to re-assess your intentions, or see if you can reframe your goals in a bigger way.
If all you want out of life is money, sex, and fame – but you neglect the interests of others – then you probably won’t get any of these things. Some still do, but often at the expense of happiness and integrity.
What I am trying to describe is a viewpoint – a way of looking at ourselves and how we fit into this larger ecosystem. If we closely examine the events in our world, we often find just how interconnected and interdependent we really are. Although our ego would rather see itself as separate and distinct; it becomes more empowered when it sees itself in a grander scheme. But this is not just a motivational tool, it is a reflection of reality.
I challenge my readers to reframe their goals within a context of “world improvement,” in order to foresee the greater implications of their actions.
When I reflect back on my own list of goals, a couple of things become immediately apparent to me. Take for example my goal to “Graduate From College.” On the surface this is nothing but a self-serving goal. Certainly by graduating I am not directly affecting any other person’s future. But what I learn through college allows me to become better equipped to serve society at large at some point in the future. I can use that knowledge for more than just personal gain, but also as a tool to help build a better world. That’s one example of how to reframe self improvement to “world improvement.”
I challenge you to reframe your goals without this new and broader context. You will find that it strengthens your intentions to achieve those goals, by aligning your will to a so-called “higher power” (and I say this at risk of sounding too religious or mystical).
Our current models of self-improvement will eventually be outperformed by the ones that also take into account world improvement. You can adopt this mindset with the simple question, “How do my goals serve the greater whole of humanity?” Knowing this answer will make you that much more affirmed in your values, goals, and aspirations. It will take your motivation to a whole other level.
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