I know, it sounds weird. We don’t usually write articles on living small. But there must be some value in it. Otherwise, no one would live a small life.
First let me describe the small life. A very small life is to live only for yourself. You make money for you. You go on vacation for you. You buy things for you. It’s all about you.
A moderately small life is to live for you and your family. You make money for you and your family. You go on vacation for and with your family. You buy things for your family. It’s all about you and your family.
Now I’m not saying that family is bad. Family is a really good thing. But imagine if Mother Theresa said, “I’m going to focus on my family.” Imagine Martin Luther King, Jr saying, “Forget civil rights. I’m going to live for my family.” See what I mean? Living for family isn’t super small, but it’s not living large either.
When we suggest that people can make a big impact in the world, some folks push back. These folks say things like, “Being kind is the best impact,” or “I want to focus on my family,” or “That’s not for ordinary people.”
So, why are some people so committed to living a small-ish life? Living a smaller life is pretty safe. No one ever gets criticized for being kind. There’s no risk in focusing on our family. We never have to be noticed. We get to avoid a lot of uncertainty. There’s not much chance of failing. And we get to sit on the side-lines and, in some cases, criticize others who are trying to make their positive impact in the world. It’s kind of a sweet deal.
However, I know from personal experience, that living small isn’t good enough. When we are looking at the end of our life, we will regret far more the things we didn’t do than the things we did do.
If you have kernel of a thought about a positive impact you’d like to make, don’t put it off because it’s really, really important.
