are you adding value or feeding your ego?

In today’s world of “overnight” successes, it’s easy to search for a short cut to notoriety. The beauty of finding our passion in life is that we’re dialed into giving back that which is best suited to us. But when we continually turn the focus from giving to getting or even trading, we stray from our life’s course. If you’ve truly got a burning message that needs to be conveyed, you’ll stop at nothing to get it out there. You’ll use every arrow in your quiver to shoot your message worldwide and you’ll stop at nothing. Love for what your message can do for others must be what drives you. If we are not diligent in working to spread our gospel, we can get discouraged or complacent. In the publishing world, most authors and publishing houses are driven by the number of titles they sell. But what if I publish a book that only sells a handful of copies but impacts a life that changes the course of history? Is it a waste of money? And in the realm of speakers, trainers, and consultants, we often attach a monetary value to our ego in order to make a living. But what if I give a free speech to just five people that inspires one of them to new heights? Is it waste of my time? We go through experiences in life not for ourselves, but to share. It’s not about us. It’s about adding value to the lives of others no matter what we get in return. Walt Disney said, “Disneyland is a work of love. We didn’t go into Disneyland with the idea of making money.” As a business owner, I’m sensitive to the bottom line but life is so much more than that. When you keep your eye focused on the mission and your heart focused on service, the rate of return is exponential because your ego can’t get in the way. It’s tough to keep our egos in check and we have to spend a great deal of time examining our true motives for our actions.  The greats in history are great because have given their all in pursuit of sharing their message. Will you?