In today’s world, more and more people are learning to define success not just in dollars, but in how much their work helps others and the world as a whole. The idea of “doing well by doing good” is a powerful way of inviting goodness into your company and your life as you find ways to express your gifts as an act of service for all.
In my own life, I have experienced the profound effects of having an attitude and orientation towards service. From a young age, the value of being of service to others has been instilled in me as both of my parents’ careers were defined by service – my father served in the military and my mother served as a nurse. From their humble example, I learned by their daily actions much more than their words about humble service to the greater good.
These virtues were crystallized in my own early experiences in the Boy Scouts and then in my teenage years working in restaurants where it was my job to wait on others and ensure they were taken care of.
Since then, I have continued to hold many different positions with more and more responsibility and opportunity for leadership. Yet, the values that have enabled my success remain the same, whether it was waiting tables or directing a company with hundreds of employees.
The more you do good and the more you help others – the more you personally succeed.
By paying it forward and using your talents and energies to be of service to others you are inviting good in, you are living in IGI rather than ego.
Businesses That Do Well, Do Good
The existential threat of climate destruction and the increasingly obvious corruption and injustices in our society mean that a conscious, activist mindset is no longer only a fringe value. If we don’t take action in our individual lives to ensure that our actions serve to better humanity and the Earth, then we are contributing only to more suffering and injustice in the world.
It is an old, outdated, and false idea that the way to succeed in business in life is to get ahead at all costs and to care nothing for the greater good. The world is rapidly changing, and there is no longer any place for financial success without moral integrity. In the past, these two things could be mutually exclusive. However, today, businesses and individuals must “do good” to “do well”.
Therefore, people are seeking to do business with, and buy products from organizations that are conscious and acting in integrity in all aspects of their operation – whether that be how they treat their employees, their impact on the environment, and the overall consciousness of the business.
The old paradigm believed that one had to choose either financial success or helping others and that one could not accomplish both. The business leaders of today and tomorrow understand that one does not have to choose between these two – but that the more one helps others the more personal success they and their business receive.
To do well is to do good, and to do good is to do well. These two are one and the same.
This becomes an ever-increasing flow of benefit for both which mutually magnifies the good you can do in the world and the amount of financial success you attain.
Being of service invites more goodness, which in turn, drives more success. This turns into a powerful ever-growing force of positive energy that permeates your entire company, from the management to employees and to the customers. Everyone feels good about what they are doing and so has more energy and enthusiasm.
Service to Self, Service to Others, & Service to All
Central to this is understanding that one does not have to choose between service to self and service to others. A higher understanding knows that self and others are one. Therefore, service to others is service to self, and service to self is service to others. What we are doing is service to all.
You become rich by making others rich. And not just financially. Ask yourself: How can I help myself and others become rich in all ways? In one’s relationships, in one’s mental/emotional life, in one’s spirituality, and in one’s finances.
Being of service to all implies that you understand that there is more to life than making profits and material gain. You understand that you exist on this Earth to do your part in building a better world that we know is possible, that you contribute your unique piece of the puzzle.
The new paradigm is one of universal abundance and cooperation rather than the old false beliefs in scarcity and lack. The truth is that there are more than enough resources for everyone on the planet to live in luxury and thus, there is no need to attempt to get ahead by trampling others on your way to the top of the pile.
You can succeed in business through helping others and helping humanity as a whole. These two are not mutually exclusive, and truly never were! And today, more than ever people are demanding and seeking to work with and give their money to individuals and companies that live this principle of “doing well by doing good”.
