Selfishness = Service

Time to read: 55.3 seconds

In January, my doctor friend sent me a text.

"You should volunteer for this. They said they need organized non-medical people, and you are the most organized non-medical person I know."

She was talking about vaccine clinics. I couldn't fill out the volunteer form fast enough.

My motivation? Me. 100% pure, selfish me.

I had to get out of my house and be among the peoples. As an extrovert in an introverted household, COVID has been parched. Being part of the action and around people I don't already know sounded like heaven. The vaccine clinics have filled a dinner party-sized hole in my life.

I'm also a great volunteer. I'm enthusiastic and friendly. I take direction and do what I'm told. My schedule is flexible so I'm available. I can talk to anyone and handle stress. I recruit friends. I bring muffins. I serve.

People have told me how grateful they are for my service, and at first I felt a little guilty because I knew I was there for the socializing.

Then it dawned on me. Both things can be true. In fact, self-interest and service are the perfect pairing.

Service is easier when you feel like you have skin in the game. It's more fun. You're more motivated. You are free from any sense of martyrdom or self-importance which keeps your eye on the prize - socializing service.

As your world starts to open to include a wider view, where can you pair your self-interest with service?

It's a lot of fun.

I Hated It! 3 Things to Help You Do Things You Hate

Time to read: 1:07.89

I just returned from a 3-hour volunteer get out the vote shift for a local non-profit. My goal was to feel more involved in the upcoming election (now past when you read this) and to do my part to make the world a better place.

OMG, I hated it.

Even when I care about the cause and have respect for the passion of the person on my porch, I hate when people interrupt family dinner, and I hate getting solicitation phone calls. I became the person on the phone today.

People hung up on me, told me to stop calling, and offered me feedback. Thank goodness the majority of calls went to voicemail. (I did help two people find their polling place so that's something.) It was hard. It was discouraging. I did not like it one bit. While I was having this horrible experience, I was, as always, thinking of you and the world of work.

In any job or any life, you have to do things you hate sometimes. It's part of belonging to an organization and community.

So, when you have to do something you hate, here are 3 tips to get through it:

1. Trust that there are things you don't know. There may be very good reasons for why you are doing what you are doing. The political organizers of elections know a lot about how elections get won and lost. You and your actions are one small piece of a very big puzzle.


2. Do your best. Even if you don't like what you are doing, do it to the best of your ability. I was friendly and personable. I kept good notes on my calls. Find the ways you can do good work even when you don't like it.


3. Know your gifts and use them well. Making political phone calls is not my gift. Other people in my group were inspired by their calls, and the organizers have chosen this work as their job. As much as you can, recognize that someone else loves data entry when you hate it or someone else loves supervising people when people problems make you want to put a fork in your eye.

Oh, and vent to a friend. It will help you feel better. Thanks, Anne!

I hope that helps.

Christina

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