Is there a benefit to being externally focused?

From 1994-1998, Sprite sales skyrocketed. This increase in sales coincided with a two-pronged decision in their marketing campaign. In 1994, Sprite ended their upbeat ad campaign “I Like the Sprite in You,” and they began their new ad campaign with the slogan “Image is Nothing. Thirst is Everything. Obey Your Thirst.”

Recently Sprite has focused specifically on the “Obey Your Thirst” part of the slogan, in my opinion, because our culture is driven by image.

In general, we are suffering through plague of unhappiness. We long to be happy. We play hide-and-seek with it, but it seems elusive to us. It seems deeply hidden and, at times, unattainable. Shawn Achor emphasizes in his books that happiness is a choice. We can choose it, yet all too often we grasp at it and come up empty.

I think it stems from the fact that each of us - at our very core - need to be known and loved; however, in our image-driven, social media-focused culture we settle for being viewed and liked. While that feels good for awhile, the feeling doesn’t last.

What if long-term happiness doesn’t come from me focusing on me? What if we are wired for more than self-image-driven happiness? 

I recently read a Time Magazine article entitled “Being Generous Really Does Make You Happier.” The evidence of the research showed an increase in the happiness level of a group of people who were externally focused with money they were given. There are numerous studies that point to generosity (or being externally-focused) bringing about happiness in people.

I’ve looked into the thankful eyes of a man who was just served food for the first time that day. I’ve seen the smile of a child as they opened a gift that they didn’t think they would receive because of their life situation. 

As I read stories of generosity, see organizations fight for social justice and change, and see non-profits feed and clothe those less fortunate, I find myself less image-focused and more thirsty to bring change to the world around me. I don’t feel this way because I’m focused on my happiness, but because being internally-focused has never made me feel even remotely as fulfilled as being externally-focused.

Organizations like As Our Own need us to help them stop child trafficking. Organizations like Charity: Water need us to help them bring clean drinking water to families around the world. Organizations like DoSomething.org  need us to help rally together to change our community, our country, our world as a grassroots movement. There are so many more non-profits, charities, and organizations - too many to mention here - that can use some externally-focused people.

I am confident that as we serve, give, help, and strive to bring change to the world around us we will quench our longing for happiness; but more importantly, we will connect with a community of people who long to be known and loved, too.

[I would love to hear about charities, non-profits, and areas of need in your community or in your passion wheelhouse. Use the comment section below or click here to tell your story.]