As far back as I can remember I’ve wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. When I was 3 years old, I told my parents I was going to be a firefighter so I could “make people’s houses not burn down.” Around 10 I decided I wanted to be a doctor so I could help sick kids. By the time I was on my way to college, I was set on being a surgeon.
Well, I never did go to medical school. The awakening to alternative medicine when I was a freshmen at Purdue made sure of that. By the end of my second year I left college to pursue studies in alternative healing.
The next ten years or so was an amazing adventure. I studied various forms of healing, supporting myself as a website designer along the way. I eventually opened a healing practice and saw clients regularly. Sometimes the results clients got were nothing short of miraculous. Other times, the healing caused them turmoil – as though they didn’t want to accept change in their lives. Either way, within a few years, I was burned out.
One thing my healing work and my studies gave me was the sense of constantly looking inside myself for the meaning in things. It gave me the tools of self-reflection; tools I could use to look back at my life and see that I’d always wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. I know I didn’t want a private healing practice any longer. What I did know was I wanted my work to have meaning – to me and to my clients.
So back into website development I went. But this time with a whole new approach. Now, rather than just building ‘pretty’ websites, I would focus on helping my clients build their businesses. Furthermore, I sought out projects where people were wanting to make a difference in the world; whose work is to make meaning in people’s lives.
Very quickly I discovered that my footprint was much larger helping people who wanted to do good in the world. When I had a healing practice, I worked with one client at a time. Helping them might ripple out into the greater good of the planet. But now I work with web-based business clients who want to do good work for others. Helping others get their good message out means I’m reaching far more people in doing good work.
Today, I continue to build websites and blogs. I focus on helping my clients understand how to use the internet to reach their business goals, while meeting the needs of their audience.
And, I continue to evolve how I contribute to the world. Blogging has me interested in the conversation. The conversation between people and between businesses and their prospective clients. We’ll see where that leads me. I can tell you that wherever I end up, it will be to make a difference in the world.
So, how are you contributing to…the world? the blogosphere? your clients? other’s lives? I’d love to hear.
Again, it is interesting that you should post this. Now that I have learned a solid base of knowledge from my first blog, I have just recently been thinking about a new project that is really all about making a difference.
I’m not too sure exactly where I’m going with it yet, or what I want to do, all I know is that I want to make a difference with it.
Hi Dawud
This might sound strange and perhaps not the way you intended the question, but last week I found out that I made a difference to someone in the way I interpret and implement many of his advice and ideas. While I was just thinking he was making a big difference to my (business) world, he thought the other way round 😉
He told me my attitude was a ‘breath of fresh air’ and made his way/method of working worthwhile to continue in the same way, while all I wanted to do was do him proud. Wrote a pondering post about it (of course ;-))
Karin H.,
Being a ‘breath of fresh air’ is quite a contributtion to make in somone’s life. Wow! Thanks for sharing your story.
Armen,
It’s my pleasure to bring this up. As I shared, I see that my own impact in the world – my own contribution – is to instigate and aid people in making their contribution. Happy to have helped. Please let me know how I can continue to support you.
Dawud, a key thread I get from your rich post here is how our contribution evolves if we are drawn to keep listening to internal and external messages. And that contribution keeps being fine tuned as we link more deeply with others.
Karin H., thanks for the great story. I’ve been feeling your fresh air.
Stuart Baker
http://www.consciouscooperation.com
Stuart,
Absolutely. We’re constantly evolving, changing, learning and growing. Ideally our businesses grow and evolve with us.
Dawud,
Your contribution personally and professionally is incredible! Thanks for sharing 🙂
It’s so interesting how great minds think alike…Liz posted a Change the World post here.
She motivated me to write a 3-part series
(1) my personal journey blogging/writing–the little miracles of ‘just doing it’ and asking others to participate in the process,
(2) gave a story of someone I touched via my blogging, and
(3) Empowering Women campaign that just started at Unitus this week for women in under-developed nations.
The first post is here.
Peace!
Ponn,
That’s awesome. Thanks so much for sharing.
Liz is quite inspirational, huh?
Speaking of inspirational, I just read your story. You inspire me. Wow! I’d love to know more about your journey.
Are you coming to SOBCon? It would be great to meet.
And, are you still in Toldeo? I’m outside Ann Arbor.
Hi Dawud.
Thanks for your support in my story…now, that I’m “out”, I’ll be opening up more I’m sure.
No, I won’t be going to SOBCon. My health permits me from being around crowds of people or concentrating for more than a couple hours at a time…I’d love to personally meet everyone too someday soon.
Yes, we’re neighbors! I’m actually getting together with my first online entrepreneurial mom next week for a Park Day who lives in Lambertsville, MI.
Should be great!
Ponn,
Lambertsville…where’s that? I must live close, but I’ve not heard of it.
I can understand about not being able to make SOBCon. We’ll miss you, that’s for certain. Perhaps they’ll be a time we can meet and put faces with our blogs.