Ask anyone a simple question:

Do you want to be a
1) burden for some OR
2) blessing for many

Rarely will anybody pick the option 1. Nobody wants to be a burden for some. Besides, it would be politically incorrect to pick that choice, don’t you think?

So, it is safe to assume that 99.9% of the people will pick option 2. They want to be a blessing for many. In other words, intention-wise, we are all doing good. Majority of the people want to change the world for the better.

Then, why do you think we have so many problems?

The answer is in the old adage – “knowing is not doing but doing is doing.”

Let us dig deeper into the two options:

1. Burden for Some

When will you be a “burden for some”? When you can’t take care of yourself.

When can you not take care of yourself? When you don’t have the capacity or will to.

When will you not have the capacity to take care of yourself? When you have not invested in yourself.

So, it boils down to a series of choices you made along the way to invest (or not invest) in yourself.

2. Blessing for Many

When will you be a “blessing for many?” When you can make others life more meaningful.

How can you make the lives of others more meaningful? By caring for what they care about.

How can you care for what others care about? When you have extra capacity beyond what is required to take care of yourself.

How can you have “extra” capacity? By investing in yourself over a long period of time.

Summary: If you don’t invest enough in yourself, whether you want or not, there is a good chance that you will be a burden for some. On the other hand, when you invest in yourself over a long period of time, you have an “option” to be a blessing for many. Please note that I didn’t say you will be a blessing for many but you have an option to be a blessing for many. Because, it is a still a choice you have to make. In the first case, you don’t even have that choice.

All the best!