Thriving in Today's Economy Part 4: Serve Others

Today's article is a continuation from the previous articels where I discuss the lessons that Yossi Ghinsberg learned through his harrowing experience lost alone in the Amazon jungle. Today we continue on with a profound experience he had which saved his life.

Yossi was in severe pain. His feet were torn to shreds, he survived off barely any food, and he was covered in painful insect bites. One night a flash flood arrived sweeping Yossi away. He survived and spent days crawling his way through mud and debris on his hands and knees as his feet would no longer carry him. One day when he could go no further he collapsed and begged for his life to be taken.

Somewhere in the middle of his anguished weeping he heard the cry of a woman and he turned and there beside him was a lady on all fours with her head in her hands weeping. Suddenly Yossi sprung into action picked the girl up and started pushing her forward. 'You must keep going', he would continue to shout at her for days. 'We will find a way out but you must keep going.' He encouraged her and supported her. He knew he had a life to save and in that greater purpose could keep going himself. It wasn't about him, it was about helping the woman. And then just as suddenly as she came, she disappeared. It was only a day or two later that Yossi was rescued.

Yossi felt the presence of that woman as if she was truly there. In his mind he imagined her and she saved him because she gave him something else to live and work for. Yossi discovered two things through this experience:

1) When you give up on life, life doesn't necessarily give up on you.

2)Our true power is revealed when we give it away. When serving ourselves, our power is limited and we don't know what our power is. But when we serve the greater good we live our true purpose. Miracles happen when we serve others. It was through serving and helping someone else (although a figment of his imagination) that Yossi was able to keep going and survive.

The world is suffering today because there are many leaders who are serving themselves only. The current global situation is present right now because of people who are serving themselves only. If only they understood the Laws of the Jungle, everything is interconnected so when you serve something else you are serving yourself as well. True leaders serve others and in doing so survive and thrive. This is abundant thinking. There is enough for all and like Zig Ziglar said 'When you help enough people get what they want in life, you'll get what you want.'

What are you doing to serve others? How are you helping to show somebody the way and encourage them to live a better life? No matter who you are or what is happening for you right now, there is always someone doing it worse. When you are in your darkest hour reach out to the lady crying in the dark and help her find her way home first and then you will surely find yours.

(Look out for the 5th and final lesson to come. Learning this from Yossi was when the veil of darkness was lifted from my eyes and I understood life. It's my favorite and most profound lesson and the most defining moment of my life. Get this and life will be sweet for you!)