I don’t know about you, but I tend to focus on getting stuff done. The more productive I am, the more I feel good about the value I’m giving to society.
But I’ve found that that’s actually the easy part. After all, I’ve trained my entire life to have skills and knowledge so that I could do things. Even in my volunteer activities, it’s all about what I accomplish.
What else is there?
Well, it turns out that developing my heart and passion and soul and being is actually harder. What’s the point of all this stuff?
It’s about the state of being, not doing.
It’s dangerous to fall into the trap of valuing people just by what they do. That will lead you down the road of devaluing the handicapped, the elderly, the children. You’ll want to think that money is the true measure of a worthwhile life.
Get that out of your mind. “Value” is a concept best treated lightly when we’re talking about human life. All of us have the same value: the rich, the poor, the powerful, the needy.
And this can generate a tremendous internal battle. The whole world is telling you to get out there and do more, accomplish great things, and be recognized.
In your heart, though, you know that’s not all there is.
It might make you feel better to know that this is the same battle every person has had to deal with since the dawn of humanity. We all have doubts, we all wonder what life is about.
Let that conversation continue in your mind and in your heart. It’s a good thing. Then try to come to balance between doing and being.