When our older son Nathan was just a little guy, he would say, “Me do it! Me do it! All my by self.” At that age he was hungry to new experiences and he wanted to try and learn everything.
Sometimes I get this same way. I want to do it “all my by self.” Though my motivation is a bit different. I don’t trust others to do it well. I resonate with the saying, “if you want it done right, you have to do it yourself.”
However, this approach is now holding me back. I have way too much to do, and I don’t always do a good job. Doing it myself doesn’t always mean it gets done right.
When we pursue our calling to make a meaningful impact in the world, we can get caught up in this same approach, thinking we need to do it all. If we are doing too many things to make meaning in the world, our level of impact is probably spread too thin. Instead, we need to focus on the few things that we do really well. Some times we need to give up things we do well so we’ll have time and energy for the things we do great.
The truth is that people have access to many different resources. There are lots of mentors, coaches, teachers, leaders, managers, organizations and non-profits already available. We don’t need to duplicate these efforts. We just need to apply our “super power” – the thing we’re really good at. Then we can partner with other folks and organizations.
Here are some examples:
- The soup kitchen can partner with an organization that provides rehabilitation and education for the homeless.
- An organization helping eliminate the sex trafficking industry can partner with people in the foster care system.
- A company that provides training on public speaking can partner with a company that provides voice lessons.
- Folks who are passionate about adoption and give money to help families adopt can partner with several adoption agencies.
When we pursue our calling, we don’t have to do this alone. We can create a variety of partnerships with other organizations and folks who already do an amazing job in areas where we aren’t strong. The end result is a deeper, more meaningful impact in the lives of folks we are influencing.
What about you? What is your super power?
