Comments on: Score one for the prophets: research reveals link between service and happiness http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/ Innovation, Creativity, Entrepreneurship, Personal Development Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:29:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Links for Super-Charged Living - Feb 16, 2008 | My Super-Charged Life http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1569 Links for Super-Charged Living - Feb 16, 2008 | My Super-Charged Life Sat, 16 Feb 2008 20:12:01 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1569 [...] Committed to a Cause Score one for the prophets: research reveals link between service and happiness [...] [...] Committed to a Cause Score one for the prophets: research reveals link between service and happiness [...]

]]> By: Jonathan Fields http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1430 Jonathan Fields Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:40:08 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1430 @ Jayne - wow, that's amazing, I never realized what a serious operation a shelter was to run. I have to admit, I'm somewhat in awe! @ Pat - Thanks, man. Totally agree about mentoring, this is one of my focuses these days. I love doing it. @ Jayne – wow, that’s amazing, I never realized what a serious operation a shelter was to run. I have to admit, I’m somewhat in awe!

@ Pat – Thanks, man. Totally agree about mentoring, this is one of my focuses these days. I love doing it.

]]> By: Patrick Badstibner http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1376 Patrick Badstibner Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:26:03 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1376 Another tremondous post, Thanks. There is as you said significant proof now that not only service but giving has tremondous benefits. My family has a term they call Patisms one of my favorites is build your business by giving it away. In my first business I agressively looked for ways to not only service my customer better,by being a trusted referral source. But also ways to agressively put money in others hands, this is an age old prinicipal of outsourcing. Yet all I ever asked for was to treat my customer good. Another effective way to give is mentoring, those who are not quite as far a long as you maybe on the road. Thanks for giving the time to put together a well researched and thought out article Pat Another tremondous post, Thanks. There is as you said significant proof now that not only service but giving has tremondous benefits. My family has a term they call Patisms one of my favorites is build your business by giving it away.

In my first business I agressively looked for ways to not only service my customer better,by being a trusted referral source. But also ways to agressively put money in others hands, this is an age old prinicipal of outsourcing. Yet all I ever asked for was to treat my customer good.

Another effective way to give is mentoring, those who are not quite as far a long as you maybe on the road.

Thanks for giving the time to put together a well researched and thought out article

Pat

]]> By: Jayne http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1371 Jayne Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:05:54 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1371 Jonathan - 90 volunteers a week is what it takes to run the shelter. We have 5 paid staff. We've been an emergency winter shelter for the past 2 winters and then just bought a building in the off-season and so are open year-round now (opened again on Nov. 1). We currently serve 125 people per night (men, women, families with children). 90 volunteers seems like a lot to me as I'm the one organizing or managing them! About 1/3 volunteer on a regular basis - once a week or twice a month. Some groups volunteer and will take all the swing shifts for one night a week or twice per month. We are an interfaith shelter which is work I love! It is truly a beautiful experience to have people of all faiths (some quite diverse combinations of people) and no-faith (or people of good conscience) working side by side. I've also always had our guests volunteer on the 'shelter support team' and then our "graduated" guests as well. I've seen those on this team blossom over time. Each night we have 4 - 5 team members assisting with the operations (it's a team of 8 so they work 3-5 nights per week each). Sharon - good reminder to those of us managing volunteers! Jonathan – 90 volunteers a week is what it takes to run the shelter. We have 5 paid staff. We’ve been an emergency winter shelter for the past 2 winters and then just bought a building in the off-season and so are open year-round now (opened again on Nov. 1). We currently serve 125 people per night (men, women, families with children). 90 volunteers seems like a lot to me as I’m the one organizing or managing them! About 1/3 volunteer on a regular basis – once a week or twice a month. Some groups volunteer and will take all the swing shifts for one night a week or twice per month. We are an interfaith shelter which is work I love! It is truly a beautiful experience to have people of all faiths (some quite diverse combinations of people) and no-faith (or people of good conscience) working side by side. I’ve also always had our guests volunteer on the ‘shelter support team’ and then our “graduated” guests as well. I’ve seen those on this team blossom over time. Each night we have 4 – 5 team members assisting with the operations (it’s a team of 8 so they work 3-5 nights per week each).

Sharon – good reminder to those of us managing volunteers!

]]> By: Jonathan Fields http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1369 Jonathan Fields Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:05:01 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1369 @ Stacey - great quote, thanks for sharing your own experiences along with it! @ Mark - Yes, it's often as simple as giving blood. so many opps when you really start to look @ Chris - Great idea, when I train yoga teachers, I actually often suggest setting aside a small percentage of their available time for service or to work with clients on a donation-basis. These are often the most gratifying parts of the profession! @ Jayne - Wow, 90 volunteers, that's incredible! I am curious, is that about how many people it usually takes or is 90 people unusually large/small? @ Sharon - Great point, volunteering really works best for everyone when it is offered from the heart, rather than a sense of external demand or expectation. @ Stacey – great quote, thanks for sharing your own experiences along with it!

@ Mark – Yes, it’s often as simple as giving blood. so many opps when you really start to look

@ Chris – Great idea, when I train yoga teachers, I actually often suggest setting aside a small percentage of their available time for service or to work with clients on a donation-basis. These are often the most gratifying parts of the profession!

@ Jayne – Wow, 90 volunteers, that’s incredible! I am curious, is that about how many people it usually takes or is 90 people unusually large/small?

@ Sharon – Great point, volunteering really works best for everyone when it is offered from the heart, rather than a sense of external demand or expectation.

]]> By: Sharon http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1368 Sharon Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:52:47 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1368 I agree that service unto others is a wonderful thing. But let us remember the volunteers too. There will be times when volunteering, giving up our time, or donating money may become "expected" of us then it isn't about selfless giving anymore. Of course in my experience, this usually happens in the religious groups (of all kinds). I enjoyed some of the times of volunteering of projects, giving up my time to do something that will better the lives of others. It makes me feel that there is indeed a purpose in my life. I did not enjoy the times when I was expected to do such because I have always done so. Volunteering is a great thing but a message to the administrators of volunteers - just because someone is volunteering, don't take them for granted. I agree that service unto others is a wonderful thing. But let us remember the volunteers too. There will be times when volunteering, giving up our time, or donating money may become “expected” of us then it isn’t about selfless giving anymore. Of course in my experience, this usually happens in the religious groups (of all kinds). I enjoyed some of the times of volunteering of projects, giving up my time to do something that will better the lives of others. It makes me feel that there is indeed a purpose in my life. I did not enjoy the times when I was expected to do such because I have always done so. Volunteering is a great thing but a message to the administrators of volunteers – just because someone is volunteering, don’t take them for granted.

]]> By: Jayne http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1364 Jayne Wed, 06 Feb 2008 08:21:05 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1364 Hello Jonathan - thanks for this article - very good! I am a strong believer in the power of service to transform lives. For me it is a path of spirit - karma yoga - sacred service. I am a director of a homeless shelter and this is my passion and love. We use 90 volunteers each week and my guess is that there's probably a shelter in most cities that would welcome more volunteers! Hello Jonathan – thanks for this article – very good! I am a strong believer in the power of service to transform lives. For me it is a path of spirit – karma yoga – sacred service. I am a director of a homeless shelter and this is my passion and love. We use 90 volunteers each week and my guess is that there’s probably a shelter in most cities that would welcome more volunteers!

]]> By: Chris http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1361 Chris Wed, 06 Feb 2008 06:52:25 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1361 Service is definitely one of the keys to happiness. I used to be a personal trainer and found it extremely gratifying, however I found that always having at least a few pro-bono clients made it 100x more gratifying. Service is the backbone of what keeps a lot of drug addicts and alcoholics sober, what brings a sense of purpose to a great many business owners and what makes moms across the world some of the best people to be around. When I was in my twenties I was about as selfish as they come and miserable, it's amazing how helping a few others can change everything Thanks Jonathan for another stellar post! Service is definitely one of the keys to happiness. I used to be a personal trainer and found it extremely gratifying, however I found that always having at least a few pro-bono clients made it 100x more gratifying.

Service is the backbone of what keeps a lot of drug addicts and alcoholics sober, what brings a sense of purpose to a great many business owners and what makes moms across the world some of the best people to be around.

When I was in my twenties I was about as selfish as they come and miserable, it’s amazing how helping a few others can change everything

Thanks Jonathan for another stellar post!

]]> By: Mark Dykeman http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1359 Mark Dykeman Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:58:18 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1359 Donate blood, if you are able to do so. It can help save a life. Donate blood, if you are able to do so. It can help save a life.

]]> By: Stacey http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1358 Stacey Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:20:07 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/score-one-for-the-prophets-research-reveals-link-between-service-and-happiness/#comment-1358 And I just remembered this quote I had seen a few years ago: The True Meaning of Life "We are all visitors on this planet. We are here for 90 or 100 years at the very most. During that period we must try to do something good, something useful, with our lives. If you contribute to other people's happiness, you will find the true goal, the true meaning of life." - H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama And I just remembered this quote I had seen a few years ago:

The True Meaning of Life
“We are all visitors on this planet. We are here for 90 or 100 years at the very most. During that period we must try to do something good, something useful, with our lives. If you contribute to other people’s happiness, you will find the true goal, the true meaning of life.”

- H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama

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