In the fall of 2009 I volunteered as a youth
mentor at a high school for young men between the ages of 14 and 18. Each week
we would talk about goal-setting, serving the community, and the importance of
constant self-improvement. I loved my time at the school. The students dreamed
big, had brilliant ideas, and taught me far more than I offered them.
The experience in Queens was just the
beginning. Soon I found myself giving
resume workshops at a women's shelter, offering tips to nervous high school
students on public speaking, setting up beds at a men's shelter, and mentoring
a homeless man trying to get back on his feet. By 2013, I was doing similar work at orphanages and schools
around the world.
The people I met from all my travels became a compass
steering me towards a life of greater purpose. I redefined what was important and
tried to live in accordance with my core values. Along the way I discovered a few things:
-- There will always be someone in the world
facing greater obstacles than you
-- Service to others immediately takes the focus
of yourself offering a dose of much-needed perspective
-- Helping people help themselves gives integrity to your ambition. There’s nothing quite like the fulfillment you get from helping, in
whatever small way, improve the life of another person.
