Happy New Year!
It is January 1, 2010 Time to begin a plan of attack- the first day (and for some the last day) of sticking to those New Year's resolutions. For some, giving back will be part of the equation. I recently ran across this and thought today would be a good day to share it-
I've been reading "The 4-Hour Workweek" by Tim Ferris. It's a good read, some interesting points, especially for anyone who wants to find the secret of breaking out of the dull 9-5 x 40 hour routine.
Here's a passage I thought was worth a reprint-
Service for the Right Reasons:
To Save the Whales, or Kill Them and Feed the Children?
One would expect me to mention service in this chapter, and here it is, the twist a bit different.
Service to me is simple: doing something that improves life besides you own. This is not the same as philanthropy. Philanthropy is the altruistic concern for the well-being of mankind-human life. Human ife has long been focused on the exclusion of the environment and the rest of the food chain, hence our current race to imminent extinction. Serves us right. The world does not exist solely for the betterment and multiplication of mankind.
Before I start chaining myself to trees and saving the dart frogs, though, I should take my own advice. Do not become a cause snob.
How can you help starving children in Africa when there are starving children in Los Angeles? How can you save the whales when homeless people are freezing to death? How does doing research on coral destruction help those people who need help now?
Children, please. Everything out there needs help, so don't get baited into "my cause can beat up your cause" arguments with no right answer. There are no qualitative or quantitative comparisons that make sense. The truth is this: Those thousands of lives you save could contribute to a famine that kills millions, or that one bush in Bolivia that you protect could hold the cure for cancer. The downstream effects are unknown. Do your best and hope for the best. If you're improving the world - however you define that - consider your job well done.
Service isn't limited to saving lives or the environment either. it can also improve life. If you are a musician and put a smile on the face of thousands or millions, I view that as a service. If you are a mentor and change the life of one child for the better, the world had been improved. Improving the quality of life in the world is in no way inferior to adding more lives.
Service is an attitude.
Find the cause or vehicle that interests you most and make no apologies.
Thanks Tim Ferris- I really liked that, and absolutely agree.
If getting involved in something much bigger than yourself is something you fancy, then check out i-to-i to see what's going on around the world- then get with EZTravelpad for savings on whatever you choose to get involved in.
Make you life better today, by giving back- and Happy New Year!
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