A Concept to Challenge Your Status Quo
Most of the 52% of Americans that self-identify as 'people pleasers' strive for a win-win outcome in times of gaining commitment or earning influence. However, in that pursuit they, commonly, default to prioritizing the win for others while, only, considering the win for themselves as an after thought.
Constantly prioritizing others' needs and desires over our own can lead to chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, and burnout. This leaves us feeling drained and unable to effectively help anyone, including ourselves. Over time, neglecting our own needs, values, & desires can lead to a loss of self-identity, making it difficult to know who we truly are and what we want. This emotional state invites distraction and overwhelm due to unbridled creativity that ensues. In fact, it could be argued that these tendencies create a manipulative and dishonest self-identity that hides our true opinions or causes us to agree to things we don't want to do.
For these reasons, and others, personal satisfaction (the win for us) is a crucial component to prioritize in the win-win paradigm. This perspective liberates us from the guilt often associated with deriving personal fulfillment from our interest to serve others. It's important to recognize that your satisfaction and the public good are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they often reinforce each other, creating a positive feedback loop that sustains your efforts to serve.
When your modes of service align with your purpose & passions, you're more likely to stay committed and find fulfillment in your journey. Strategic service isn't about depleting ourselves or ignoring our desires. Instead, it's about aligning our service with our authentic identity, finding satisfaction in our service, and approaching our efforts with an abundance mindset.
By embracing these concepts, we can create a service strategy that is both personally fulfilling and profoundly impactful. When personal fulfillment aligns with meaningful impact, guided by a “give expecting nothing thereof” mentality, we not only enhance our own lives but also contribute positively to the world around us.
