I recently had the opportunity, along with several co-workers, to volunteer our time with Habitat for Humanity. This nonprofit organization builds and repairs houses all around the world with the help of volunteer labor and generous donations. I'll admit that I'm not the handiest guy in the world, (I certainly won't fall for the “get me a left handed screwdriver” prank), but nonetheless I'm a quick learner. I've learned to measure twice and cut once.
That aside from a jackhammer, a nail gun may be the coolest tool ever invented. And construction is hard work, yet fulfilling, especially when you're helping someone else out. I know at the end of our day of labor, we all felt good about what we had done.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad.” And really, there aren't many better words to live by. It's such a simple philosophy that packs so much power.
Now, how about how we feel when we do good? The rewards are many. First off, we've helped someone in need, so they're better off than they were beforehand. We feel pride and accomplishment. We smile. We've eased another person's burden, who in turn, may do the same for someone else. We may not have brought about world peace, but we made the world around us better. And, that's at least a step towards it.
I've talked about the “Butterfly Effect” before, but it's such an amazing concept. How one simple deed or act can reverberate and echo and grow to reach around the world and back again. What kind of energy do you want to emit from your wings? How will that energy ripple through each of them? How will it be transmitted to everyone they encounter? How will that energy return to you?
Volunteering for charity work is only one avenue to do good. You can choose to do good in every instance of your life.
Smile.
Hold the door open.
Let the person with two items cut ahead of you in line at the store.
Clean up after yourself.
Run the vacuum.
Take out the trash.
There are millions of little things we can do everyday. Do them. Do good.
Live on fire!
D. Luke Iorio, CPC, PCC, ELI-MP
President & CEO
Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC)
