These are a few reflections of mine about our calling in life.
Do you feel that the world is perfect? Sometimes I wonder how life would be like if the world was perfect. I also wonder what my life would be like if everything in it was perfect.

I have two premises here. One: My life is not completely perfect. Two: The world is not perfect either. Since my problems seem to be more important than what´s going on in the world, I get stuck in this question: What can I do to help myself? My life, my situation, etc. I have realized though, that in my attempts to help myself I not only struggle a lot, but also, don´t get much satisfaction from it.

Then I realized about the need in the world, and about how much easier it is to get pleasure from focusing my attentions outwards.

People who think about helping others are the ones that get the most creative ideas and those ideas are the ones that make the world a better place.

Every great thing that has happened to humanity started as an idea in somebody´s head. The idea was far from selfish, the idea was about how to make this world a better place.

Michael Dell, the founder of Dell, computers wrote a book in which he shares with the reader how he started his business. He loved computers, his heart and passion were there, not in the "how to become rich" business. He realized that when he went to buy a computer in a retail store the salesperson had no idea about the product he was selling. After that experience he thought: How could I change that? Which means: How can I help? He wanted people to know what kind of computer they were getting and also wanted them to have exactly what they needed with excellent customer service.

Have you ever noticed that when the owner is in charge of his retail store his customers usually leave happy? Or have you been treated with such care by a salesperson that you actually thought that he was the owner?

Owners usually care about their customers because that´s the way to make the business grow. The employee that can care about the business in the same way as the owner does will not have to worry about his future in that or in any other business he works for. He´s got what it takes.

This approach works well also when we are interviewing for a position in a company. The person who gets the job is not the one who is thinking about how he can get his needs satisfied, but is the one who studies the job he is applying for and in the interview gives detailed examples of how can he help.

Think about this when you are looking for a new job. If you go to the job interview thinking "what is in for me," you will leave empty handed. If you study about the company and specifically about the job you are applying for and then explain to them why you can help, believe me, you will get the job.

Some of my clients have told me that they want a job so badly that they are willing to take whatever money the employer is willing to give them. Their desperation makes them cheapen themselves. A company is going to hire you because you are good, not because you are cheap. When they hire you because you showed them how you can help out, you will also be surprised how much more you can make.

Now let me describe the effects of being passionate but not caring about other people´s needs. I happen to know someone who loves to paint, he does paint very well, but his style is more into painting grey buildings, bats, and animal skulls. People have asked this very talented painter to paint flowers for them or a portrait. He´ll say
No, I only paint buildings and skulls.

Guess how many paintings he´s sold. Obviously none.

What he is saying here is: I don´t care about your needs, you should care about mine. Even the Christian bible says: those who serve others will be the greatest of all.

If we focus on serving others, odds are we will not only be more successful, but much happier too.