Living for others

As you approach the latter years of your life, you realize that it’s not just what you do that matters, but what you do for others. The most miserable people on earth are those who hate, hinder, and hurt others, while the happiest are those who spend their lives helping others. The degree to which you’re helpful is the degree to which you’re happy—it’s that simple. Poet John Albert Holmes said, “It’s well to remember that the entire population of the universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others.” So what are you doing for others? How good are you at letting someone else take credit for what gets accomplished? Paul wrote, “Honor one another above yourselves.” Next time somebody shares their accomplishments, pay attention to your need to jump in and tell them something as good or better about yourself. When you do that, you minimize their joy, create distance between you, and everybody loses. Instead, bite your tongue, look at them and say, “That’s wonderful; tell me more.” And mean it! When you treat people this way, two things happen: (1) The other person enjoys your company because they sense you’re really “there” for them, instead of sitting on the edge of your seat waiting your turn to speak. (2) They feel that instead of competing with them, you care about their success. Consequently your relationships grow stronger because you no longer need to grab all the attention and glory. It’s called “living for others.”