Who Loves Ya, Baby?
Our dreams were not meant for us alone. They are also meant to benefit others. As Naval Ravikant observed: "most of life is a search for who and what needs you the most."
When we combine our talents with a mindset of serving, we create a powerful force and a sustainable energy.
What Does it Mean to Serve
To serve does not mean to be ordered around by other people. It doesn't mean to live on pennies and give your wealth to the poor. It doesn’t mean to ignore your own needs and constantly help others in need.
It also doesn't mean to volunteer or work selflessly to help others. There are many who quietly serve others out of a deep love. This is a sacred act.
The version of service I'm talking about is to use our talents to help others get what they want, and more. To serve means to truly look out for the best interests of others.
Who Do You Serve?
You serve someone you genuinely care about. They are people you can communicate with, and people you would enjoy being around, even if you're an introvert.
Steve Jobs didn’t want to create products for techie people. He wanted the computer to be so easy to use it would almost disappear. At the very least, it wouldn’t get in your way. He wanted to build tools that empower people to create. Needless to say, most techie people didn’t want a Mac. The people Jobs served were creators that could care less about the technology. And these people loved Apple because they delivered what they needed.
Serving people that stress you out is not sustainable or fun. The key is to serve in a way that brings delight to you and the people you serve.
How Do You Serve?
This is the fun part. We get to use our unique talents and imagine all the ways we could help others.
For example, if you dream of owning a hamburger restaurant, you start with providing hamburgers to your customers. That's where most business begin and end. Sell hamburgers, make a profit.
But what would it look like to truly serve your customers? Maybe you are passionate about gourmet hamburgers. Maybe you empathize with young families, so you create an environment that is good for kids and adults. Maybe you add several hand cleaning stations for the kids, and provide stickers that say “I have clean hands” (Mighty Fine Burgers in Austin, Texas does this). Maybe you create a booklet that tells your story. You put these booklets on all the tables. The booklet could educate your customers on how you source your ingredients, how you prepare the food, how you keep everything clean to prevent contamination. People like to look at things (like your booklet) while they are waiting! It also gives them something to talk about (You!). Maybe gourmet burger lovers also love exotic cars? Promote a car night! There are so many possibilities!
All these ideas come from the mindset of a servant. A servant is always thinking "How can I use my talents to better serve the people I care about, and maybe even delight them at the same time."
Just this week I went to a locally owned Italian restaurant. During the hour and a half I was there, the owner went from table to table visiting with the patrons. I noticed him engage with an employee for a minute, they laughed, and he gave them a big hug. I could list several more things I observed, but you get the point. This is a service oriented restaurant, they love their patrons, and its always packed.
Today it's a miracle if you get a smile and a thank you. Imagine the impact we could make by deeply caring about the people we serve (because it's our passion too). It's about serving in a way that is true, delightful, and satisfying.
Why Serve?
If we do what we believe in, and invest in ourselves, we live a richer life. We can then look for ways to use our talents to serve others. When we use our talents to serve others, it gives us a sense of satisfaction and significance.
This is our opportunity in life to live our values, and use our talents.
If this sounds too big or impossible, just remember, all big things start small. We don't even have to go big. Our aim is "just right."
Part III
There is a third part to following your dream, doing what you believe in, and serving people you care about. But I will leave that for next week.
You can read the previous post here: Part I.
To your success!
"No one can compete with you on being you, and most of life is a search for who and what needs you the most." —Naval Ravikant
What is your dream?
My dream is to write small but powerful books that simplify success, and plant them like seeds.
My first book is "How to Build a Foundation for your Dreams." You can read it FREE at www.jamesonsuccess.com/books.