I work primarily with High Achieving Women, and I’ve found that a common characteristic among them is a strong desire to make a difference in this world. Many of them are frustrated because they don’t exactly know how to do this; how can only one person make a positive impact on the world? Yet, some of them have found the secret: that any positive impact you make, even if it is on only one other person, impacts the world in a significant way. You don’t need to be Gandhi, or Mother Theresa, or Einstein to make a difference in this world. You don’t even need to work in soup kitchens or join the board of a major charity.

Take a look at your life. If you’re married, think of how you support your spouse. Are you there when he/she needs you? Do you do little things to show how you care? If you have children, your impact is obvious. By bringing them up to be happy, well-adjusted adults, you are making an incredible difference in this world. And if you bring them up to also want to make a difference, your impact is exponential.

What about your friends? How often have you been the shoulder to cry on? Have you encouraged a friend to be more than she is, to take the next step to success? And think of the people you work with. Have you helped staff members improve their performance, leading to greater promotability? Have you led by example, with empathy and care, showing people that by caring for those around you, you are even more productive? How do you treat your clients? Do you try to make their day better?

When you take time to look at all of your relationships, and how you’ve impacted others, you will start to gain a greater appreciation for how you’ve made a difference in this world. Acknowledge yourself for all you’ve done for others. Then, armed with this knowledge of your own ability to positively change the world, you can start to look outside your own personal circle for other ways to make a difference. At this point, you don’t do it out of guilt (I should be doing charity work), but out of the sheer joy of contributing to the betterment of this world.

Good for you!