This is both a work philosophy as well as a life philosophy, though I guess any life philosophy is a work philosophy. My main goal in the world is to add more value to it than I take. I believe this approach applies to every interaction, decision and relationship, whether in terms of an organization or personal bonds. Everyone – myself included – inevitably takes from the world. This can be resources, time, emotional energy, etc. This isn’t inherently bad; it’s part of being alive. But I am extremely conscious that I am taking, actively, from everything and everyone around me. Therefore, my goal is to just give back more in return. I would like to be high-efficiency across all these different contexts.
On a micro-level, this means thinking about how I can contribute more to the organizations I’m part of – adding more value than I take. In relationships, it means making sure my presence brings more support, understanding and growth than I expect in return. I like to see it as leaving things better than when I found it. I want to be a net-positive force.
This sounds grand, but it isn’t limited just to grand gestures. Small, day-to-day decisions are 99% of decisions you make, and therefore should be guided by your philosophy too. How you do anything is how you do everything.