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Acting as a Positive Force is how you spread your Fire and take your program to another level. After all, what good does it do to improve yourself if you’re not going to do anything with it?
If your goal motives are just about you, most likely you aren’t going to get very far. Self-interest isn’t necessarily bad - it pushes you to take action and try to maximize your potential. But that kind of motivation can only carry you for so long. Without a more meaningful reason to keep going, ambition will peter out. You also might not get as much help along the way. To truly get people in your corner, you have to be in theirs first.
Pursuing goals that involve others is more than filling the desire to help. It’s one of the quickest ways to grow as a person. Think about the high goal achievers that you know. Aren’t they more likely to be involved with community activities, serve as mentors, and be known as leaders? Normally, it’s assumed that this fact is the result of people wanting to give back. They’ve reached their goals, now they want to help others do the same. This is true in many cases. But have you stopped to think that being a Positive Force could be not just an after effect, but a major driving cause, of success? By making your world better, you make yourself better.
Using the Fuel for Improvement System, you can end up impacting people without even realizing it. As your flame grows, you won’t want to keep it hidden. In fact, you won’t be able to hide it; your friends and family will notice the difference. This is where the real magic happens. Everyone around you can benefit from the improvements you’re making in your own life.
Just pursuing Goals and a Purpose with focused energy can be a surprising inspiration to others. An example of this in action opened the eyes of our founder, Chris, before he started SparkPeople. While at his last job, Chris started an exercise streak. Every day on his door, he posted the number of days in a row he had done some exercise, no matter how small. One day, a woman across the hall followed his example and posted a ‘1’ on her door, starting her own streak. After seeing great changes in her appearance, she started organizing fitness programs and activities for others. All without Chris saying a word.
Who Is Your Hero?
Are you inspired by someone because of how they live their lives? Do you admire the example set by a friend, family member, coworker or famous person? You can learn from your hero to become a hero yourself. By gaining some of the same qualities that your hero has, you’ll be able to inspire yourself and others. Do a quick Become Your Hero exercise and work toward a life you can be proud of.
The strength of your Positive Force depends on the strength of the rest of your life. Your mood, for example, has a huge influence on your ability to interact well with and lead others. At the same time, mood is also a direct product of how physically and mentally fit you are.
Helping others is a generous outlet for your new, improved self. In return, your Positive Force can have a profound effect on the rest of your program. Every positive action gives you a new perspective and changes you a bit. It refocuses your Purpose & Mission in a new light. It helps you apply what you learn about yourself and your world, set new goals, and jack up your motivation and Fire.
ACTION STEPS
Try these things today, and you’ll soon become a Positive Force for others:
- Volunteer to go first.
- Welcome the new person to your neighborhood, office, group or class.
- Show positive recognition when others are sharing their ideas.
- When tempted to preach and give advice, act as a and advocate instead.
- Seek to learn something new. Everyone has a story to tell and something to teach. Be interested in others and really listen.
- Invite someone to shadow you at your job for a day.
- Treat everyone you come across, especially friends and family, with common courtesy.
- Spread good news. Share stories of others' successes.
- Save magazines and books that you've read to donate.
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8 Lessons from "The Biggest Loser"
