Nearly all of my clients share a strong desire in common: to help people. When I ask what, specifically, that looks like for them, the assumptions start appearing loud and strong:
“I want to help people learn to garden and grow their own food, but I can’t make any money doing that.”
“I would love to raise awareness about the environment, but the only place to do that is a nonprofit, and I don’t like fundraising.”
“I want to help people who are homeless get back on their feet, but I can’t feed my family on a social worker’s salary.”
Whether generated by past experience, opinions of others, random stories in the newspaper, or elsewhere, we’ve become very narrow in how we connect work and money. The either/or approach – Do you want to help people, or do you want to make money? – is so ingrained that we often struggle to see what Stephen Covey would call our 3rd alternative: the and.
What if you can help people and make money?
This mindset – and that’s truly what it is, a mindset – offers so much more freedom, doesn’t it? That you don’t have to choose between feeding your passion and feeding your family. That you can do both with integrity and grace, while making a positive difference in the world.
If you’re going to base your career decisions off assumptions, then consider adopting these instead:
“The more money I make, the more people I can help.”
“There are ways, through my corporate job, to help people who are homeless.”
“I could run a nonprofit and earn a healthy income.”
“I can make a lot of money and be a good person.”
I’ve had clients who make excellent incomes in the not-for-profit sector while seeing the difference-making fruits of their labor every day. I’ve had corporate clients with six-figure incomes change their workplace culture to support causes both inside and outside the organization. I’ve coached small business owners to make charitable giving part of their business model – so the more revenue they bring in, the more they help the cause that’s close to their heart.
It’s a funny thing about money: once you change your mindset and challenge your assumptions, the struggles begin to fade. You start to see how your work can benefit you, your family, your community, and your world in ways that were previously hidden from view.
At Spark, we’ll show you some simple but powerful strategies to connect money to your purpose, which increases your ease and flow tremendously. In the meantime, focus on looking for the and instead of staying stuck in the either/or. Assume that you can make a healthy income while making a positive difference, doing what you love.
About a dozen seats remain for a powerful day focused on your mindset, money, and meaningful work! Click here to join us for Spark.
Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches professionals to get unstuck and reach Bold Goals with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action. Learn more at www.meaning-and-purpose.com and follow Dr. Christi on Facebook and Twitter.