As a life coach, I do not believe that pure altruism where we sacrifice our own needs for the benefits of others will make us happy. I fact, such behaviour can be quite damaging. At the core of our being we have a “self-centred” side that needs to be satisfied.
I believe in the following path to fulfilment:
- Do what you truly love doing (the self-centred part).
- Find people who need what you truly love doing (the altruistic part).
- Become aware of the benefits that the thing you love doing has on those people (the part which brings you fulfilment).
Does this sound selfish? Great! If helping others also serves our own values and interests, it makes our help more sustainable. It’s a win:win for everybody. Nobody wins if we neglect our own needs, burn out or even become resentful towards the people we want to help.
Don’t know what you love doing? Not clear about the true motivations behind your behaviours?
I use Enneagram assessments to help my life coaching clients understand their behaviours and the drivers behind them, whether they are conscious or subconscious. My mini Enneagram Package will get you there very quickly and give you insights that will fundamentally change the way you look at yourself and other. Email me at info@hansschumann.com if you would like to learn more.