“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for months, get married. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, serve others.” ~ Chinese proverb

Lately, many of my posts have focused on self-improvement and making yourself a better hockey player and a better person.

Not this one. Today, it’s not about you……..well it is, but it isn’t. Let me explain.
I want to challenge the young players who read this blog to this week,  focus not on themselves, but on others. More specifically being good to other people.
Let’s call it the “Be A Good Guy Challenge”.

There are so many people around us that allow us to succeed and pursue our dreams in hockey. Let’s make a conscious effort to shift the focus from always bettering ourselves to being committed to helping or bettering others. The ironic part of this challenge is that it will ultimately make you feel good.
So maybe in a way, it really is about you after all……

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” ~ Mohandas K. Gandhi

A lot of young hockey players achieved a great goal yesterday by being drafted into the OHL.  If you were one of them, I hope you took some time to sit and realize how lucky you were to have people that helped you along the way. If you haven’t already……thank them. Show them you care for them as much as they do for you. That is one way of doing something good. Show some gratitude. That is a form of giving for sure.

I am not suggesting you take on some huge responsibility, or something that drastically alters your life. Start with just trying to be really nice to people. The challenge is that simple. I bet you’ll find out that people end up being really nice to you as well. Good things will happen because of you and also happen to you. Maybe it is just saying thank you. Maybe it is showing your gratitude. Maybe it is going out of your way to do something for someone that is in need. Maybe you need to express to your loved ones how thankful you are that they are in your life and how much you appreciate them for just being there.

“All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don’t discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others.” ~ Danny Thomas

I too am guilty of getting too wrapped up in the pursuit of my goals and dreams sometimes that I forget to focus on the people who are very close to me. So today, this week, this month, ….heck this year, I am going to make an effort to change that. I hope you do the same.

Maybe the next time at the rink when you see a very young player, stop and chat with him or her. Make it about them. Ask them what they are working on. Make them feel important. Let them know you share a passion with them. A few minutes of your time can make a huge positive impact on a young person.

Thought to Ponder
Giving is the highest level of living. When we spend ourselves on behalf of others we gain the sort of fulfillment that can never be bought with money or satisfied with stuff. What are you doing to add value to others? Are you enriching someone’s life?

“Everyone can be great because everyone can serve.” Martin Luther King

Bottom line. Be a nice person. Do something nice for someone every chance you get. Even in casual meetings, be kind and respectful to people. It can make them feel great.
If one of the greatest players of all time can do it…..so can you.

Make it an experiment. See how positively your life is impacted by impacting others.
The worst thing that can happen is you feel really good about yourself……

It doesn’t have to be much. Sometimes just being a really nice person can make a world of difference in someone’s life. (yes, we officially have a theme developing….)

Good luck with your challenge!!

Please let me know how it works for you.