Most people are all about creating a better life for themselves. While building a better life may be individually satisfying, making an extraordinary impact on others is even more impressive. Stephen Hawking was someone who made an extraordinary impact on others. While saddled with what many would consider a severe handicap, Hawking not only overcame his personal obstacles, he truly made a difference in the world. Thankfully, you don’t have to be a quantum physicist to do the same.
With Hawking’s recent passing, I couldn’t help but reflect and marvel at the remarkable legacy he made on the world. Despite the challenges he has endured throughout his entire life, Hawking created a tremendous impact by sharing his brilliant knowledge with the masses. Superior knowledge was his gift.
Everyday people in all walks of life also have gifts to share. We each have an opportunity to connect with individuals around us to make a lasting positive influence. You can focus on the factors that influence the decisions you make, such as your motivators and skills. Knowing why you are driven to make an impact on others is the first action in making a difference.
Figure out what you are really good at and love to do, and imagine how you can use this gift to enrich the lives of others. When you have those answers, use these five tips for making your own extraordinary impact on others.
Discover your passion
One of the most common obstacles to launching a purposeful life is figuring out what you’re passionate about in the first place. It may become tiresome and frustrating to rely solely on your mind to figure everything out. But what if I told you, you’re looking in the wrong place? Passion can’t be found entirely in your head because it lies deep within your heart. The spark of passion is found through involvement, not thought. It is led through excitement and curiosity.
If you have to think very hard about what you’re passionate about, then you’re probably not all that passionate about that particular thing. Chances are, you are already doing something relating to your passion, you just don’t know it yet. Try to find a common theme in the magazines you read, hobbies in which you invest your free time, content you browse on the web, things you buy and topics you discuss. Sometimes the answer can be right in front of you and you don’t even know it!
Help out of love
The first way to make a lasting impact on others is by helping them achieve their goals, whether this be a single individual, a select few people or a large group. Our use of time, energy and expertise often times does not go unnoticed. Help from your heart since that is where your passion resides. Eventually that can lead to others viewing you as a hero or even an inspiration.
If you’ve overcome serious roadblocks, try turning that “mess into a message.” Using what you have learned the hard way can act as a service to others through guidance. The greatest fingerprint you can leave on this world is not the millions you made, but the people you have helped.
It is up to you to figure out in what ways you can offer your unique assistance. There are countless opportunities that exist that do not always include pure altruism. Sharing your knowledge, giving transparent feedback, becoming a brand advocate and sharing your resources are all ways you can make an extraordinary impact.
Collaborate with others
Those who make a positive impact understand the power of relationships and the importance of building connections. Through collaboration, you are able to overcome current challenges to find a better and more effective way to achieve your goal of making an extraordinary impact on others. Collaboration presents a breakthrough through innovation. It provides you with many resources and tools needed to complete the end mission.
Individuals who collaborate show significant increases in success because, often times, two heads are better than one. You have the ability to work in unity with others who are different from you yet committed to working toward the same goals.
Give it your all
Making a positive impact in others’ lives is meaningful, however it requires dedication, energy, and time. Don’t spread yourself too thin by trying to work on too many projects at once. Change will not happen overnight, so do not be discouraged. Instead, stay persistent and give it all you’ve got. Small changes can make a big impact. Positively influencing a few people’s lives is a great achievement and something of which to be profoundly proud.
Embrace risk
When working toward a goal, there is always the possibility of failure. Give up your fear of self doubt and understand that greatness requires risk. It may also be helpful to reposition the common negative connotation of ‘risk’ to a more positive light, thus ensuring a greater tolerance for it. Think of it as a chance to gain something important.
However, if you do fail, it is perfectly ok. Dust yourself off and remember these five ways to move forward after a setback and you are well on your way to making a great impact on others. Becoming a great leader and influencer is not about you. It is about the problem that others are experiencing that you are in a position to alleviate.
Conclusion
While Stephen Hawking was a brilliant scientist, you might be a brilliant artist, construction worker, teacher, social worker, or mom. He beat the odds and made a difference. So can you. He shared the knowledge he was passionate about and made an extraordinary impact on others and did so while suffering from a life-threatening disease.
You do not have to be exceptionally gifted like Hawking to be of exceptional value. Each and every one of us is capable of impacting the lives around us and making a difference through these five tips.
Understanding what moves you to action can help you recognize why you have a strong passion for certain things and certain situations. Understanding the WHY can help empower you to formulate the HOW when it comes to using your unique gifts to positively impact others.
