How to Retire in 12 Months

There is this kind of person that I come across on a regular basis; they dedicate their lives or whole parts of it to helping others or fundraising for charity. They are the kind of people who will go out of their way to help people in need and then go home to their humble little flat and think about what’s next. They have huge energy for other people or causes; they have a big heart yet often a small income.

As a business coach I find these people have the biggest passion. But there is a common question which presents a personal dilemma…

How do you focus on creating financial security when you really want to focus on making a difference?

This may have an obvious answer for most people… you need to look after yourself first.

However for people who are truly driven to make a difference in the world, this goes against everything that feels right and true. And therein lies the problem; you become out of kilter with what is considered normal, responsible or cool and this can be a lonely experience.

We live in a society that values success over contribution, a society that is suspicious of administration costs in charities yet aspires to buying exclusive brands who simply sell “image”.

We are conditioned to believe that quality has a price yet it is often the only perceived image we are upgrading to. We chase the illusion that more products, more money and a bigger house will bring us happiness.

We admire the wealthiest people with the most fashionable clothes, we look up to people who have successful companies and our kids have body image problems in their pre-teens and want to be famous for the sake of it.

Unfortunately this does not seem to be a passing fancy; it is becoming more and more ingrained in our psyche.

…except for those strange people who want to make a difference in the world.

You know those people who drive old beat up cars (if they have one at all) and spend their time collecting prizes for charities and inviting you to come to this and that, who volunteer their time and hassle you for using too many plastic bottles. Those people who tell you which companies still do animal testing, remind you to think about disadvantaged kids, ethics, sustainability and to challenge the way the world works.

They have an enormous energy for helping people and causes when you think they should probably spend more time helping themselves.

There is an argument that the more successful you are financially, the more that you can help people, and this definitely has some truth for those people who are able to attain success (which is no mean feat in it’s own right!).

However for those driven to make a difference it is often not a question of waiting until you have sorted yourself out before you give. It is a passion that is bigger than logic, it is part of you, it drives you.

So next time you find yourself starting to judge or disapprove of those crazy do gooders, remember… if you fall on tough times and you need a helping hand they will usually be the ones there ready to help you too.

It is Do Gooder Appreciation Week!

If you know people who are out to make a difference in the world, give them a call, thank them for being so dedicated and while you are there… think of a way to help them achieve what they want to achieve.