How to maximize your contribution

SUMMARY

• We all want to know that at the end of our days we have contributed to something or someone. But when it comes to contributing at our highest level, there can be many obstacles, from finding what we are meant to do to make time for it!
• If you are working towards a life of contribution, I want to share with you today 3 simple ways to keep yourself on the right track and maximize your impact.

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FULL TRANSCRIPT

We all want to know at the end of our days that we have contributed to something meaningful. To a mission that was bigger than us, to the people who were part of our life, to the companies and businesses we worked for, etc… The search for meaningful contribution is a natural human need and an essential piece of what makes us feel fulfilled on a daily basis.

But it can sometimes be tricky to feel that we are contributing at our best level and that we are making a real difference. I am sure you can relate to that. Maybe right now, you are in a role where you are doing a good job but you don’t feel any satisfaction or proudness with that. Maybe, your 9-5 job is not letting you enough time to work on other projects what you would love to contribute to. Maybe, you are contributing great already but you know deep down there is more you could do, other strengths you could use – basically a whole new level waiting for you.

I understand you perfectly, I have been there! When I left high school, I went for a scientific career. It made sense at the time: I was excellent in sciences, I had an interest in consumer products, I thought it would be okay. I went for a PhD, which made me realize that deep science was not my path. I kept working in the industry in more applied science, tried as well sales and marketing to make things more interesting. From an external point of view, I was doing a great contribution and everyone was happy with my work. From an internal point of view, nothing really worked to make me feel alive and fulfilled. I was always thinking – Is that it? Is that meant to be what I do with my entire life? I do not have the same feeling now that I have changed trajectory to become a coach. And I don’t because I know that I am using the right skills for the right purpose and for the right people.

I have learned one critical thing from this journey – make it your mission daily to feel that you are contributing the way YOU want to!

Far too often when it comes to contribution, we work from a reactive place, waiting for opportunities or people to show us where we are needed. Sometimes, we just go with the flow of our daily life and forget to think about contribution until we realize something is missing or until we feel misaligned with ourselves. Sometimes, the way we used to contribute does not feel any longer like what we were meant to do, but we wait instead of actively looking for what could be next.

If you are working towards a life of service and serious about having an impact on the long-term, I want to share with you today 3 areas to be mindful about to keep yourself at your maximum level of contribution!

Choose productively

If you are wired towards contribution, chances here you are also delivering high quality work. And that means that you might end up with plenty of opportunities or tasks on your plate, given to you by people who see the value you are adding and think that you will love it. But you’ve probably realized already that it is not always aligned with what you want or what you think your contribution should be.

A simple truth here - your biggest contributions deserve more of your attention and energy, and that means choosing productively between opportunities. Maximizing your contribution comes from spending more time through your day working on tasks that are aligned with what you think your impact should be, so that you can feel more motivated and engaged. And you will need to be extremely specific on what these tasks are and fiercely say no to everything else! The more you are clear on what you want to say yes to, the easier it becomes to say no and put boundaries.

So think about your current situation and try to identify what productive choices you could make. What are the activities you right now feel are meaningful for you? What would you enjoy doing more? What would you love to say yes to if you had more time available? What tasks could you remove that do not give you a sense of contribution?

Include personal growth

Contributors often think they must be selfless and altruistic, and just give to other people without getting something for themselves in the process. I believe both things are not exclusive – you can serve others and you can receive back something that makes you a better human or helps you achieve more. I even think it is essential for sustained motivation and contribution on the long-term.

I want you to reflect here about - what is something you could do that gives you simultaneously a sense of contribution and a sense of learning/growing?

Maybe, you have natural strengths that are underused at the moment because they are obvious to you but not to others – what could be an opportunity to use them more and make them more visible? Maybe, you have already areas of growth identified in your professional world that you could also work on in a volunteering environment to build even more confidence and competence. Maybe, you know that in the future specific skills will be required from you but your current role does not allow you to build them yet – what other opportunities would allow you to do so?

Work from the future

Contributor one day, contributor every day! Most people of service I know never stop looking for ways to contribute and add value through their life. Constantly thinking about what is required in the future is a great way to stay at top contributor and keep things moving in the right direction. Having a vision for your future contributions is also a great way to stay engaged!

Think about the current mission/organization/people you are serving – What is the future you can see in 5 years? What would need to happen? What are the gaps you can see coming that could be obstacles to this future?

Then start planning your future contributions! What are the strengths you already have that you can start putting in motion to cover these gaps? What could you offer to do that you would bring you enjoyment and growth while guaranteeing future success for whose you serve?

Did you find this article insightful? Let me know in the comments!

Clo - Your Expanded Coach