The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has been an extremely successful campaign. It was a brilliant tool for raising both awareness of the disease and funds for research for a cure. There are many good intentions behind it. Whether or not you participated in the challenge, I have a few thoughts to consider.
First, Mike Rowe whom you may know from the TV show Dirty Jobs, posted an honest and challenging response to the popular social media ALS ice bucket challenge (click here to read it yourself). A couple of the good points he made included:
- The money given to the ALS Foundation will directly effect donations to other charities. For every dollar donated to ALS, 50 cents will not be going to another charity that would otherwise be getting those donations.
- The ALS Foundation, which usually operates on a budget of less than two million dollars per year, has received over $75 million. Mike likens it to a person winning the lottery. Typically lottery winners fail to make the necessary mental shift to thinking like a wealthy person and end up losing the money after a short time. Hopefully the money will not end up harming the organization in the long run.
- Finally, Mike challenges people to give to causes that resonate with them rather to any cause that comes along with a compelling social media pressure behind it.
All I can say is, “Right on, mike Rowe!” I’d been considering standing up against the ice bucket challenge. I was just waiting nervously to see if I was going to be nominated. I was wondering what to do. I admit, it was a little wimpy for me to not have made up my mind sooner. But I didn’t want to be a jerk. That’s a lot of pressure coming through on social media. Thank you, Mike Rowe, for giving me the courage I needed to stand up for what I believe is right.
At Simply Great Lives, John and I want people to be laser-focused with their lives. We don’t want people to be lulled into a false sense of satisfaction by doing a little here and a little there. Unfocused giving and volunteering will add up to a very limited impact overall.
The difference between living a focused life and doing some random good stuff is like the difference between using a flashlight and using a laser. One sheds a little light. The other can cut through steel.
I challenge you to go beyond alleviating a little guilt by just doing a little here and there. Don’t participate in whatever charitable opportunity comes your way. It’s good to say “no” to the wrong things when you are clear on what the right things are for you.
So get clear on what your purpose and calling are. Then get to work making your unique impact in the world. No one else is wired to do it exactly the way you are.
