To Do Good, Be Good

If you haven’t read Eric Barker’s blog, Barking up the Wrong Tree, you’re missing out.

His latest post provides the best post I’ve ever seen to help people find meaning in their lives, and find fulfillment they are worthy of.

Here are his 4 tips for creating a life you’ll be excited to tell your grandchildren about:

1. Do things that are meaningful… things that you won’t regret. And don’t do things that you know you will regret on your deathbed.
2. Have a story. Create experiences and memories that you want people to to talk about, even after you’re gone. Best way to do this? Think about what you want people to say about you at your funeral. Then do that.
3. Doing good will make you good.  In fact, selfless people who give and volunteer a lot are typically happier people. But before you start being good, you have to think about being good. As Kurt Vonnegut famously said, “We are who we pretend to be“.
4. Be grateful. Start a gratitude journal, keep it by your bedside, and write down thinks you are grateful for every night before going to bed.

According to Eric, real or not, create a story that you are proud of:

What’s even more interesting is the truth may not matter. Feeling that you know yourself creates a strong sense of meaning in life — whether or not you actually know yourself doesn’t make a difference.

Even more specifically, the powerful of donating your talents can be especially transformational:

People who do volunteer work, for example, often change their narratives of who they are, coming to view themselves as caring, helpful people.

How do you find meaning? If you’re looking for guidance in aligning with your purpose and making a meaningful impact – while accelerating your own social good career in the process – apply to join our MovingWorlds Institute Global Fellowship.