Embracing the Most Precious Natural Resource
I’m going to confess something that might raise a few eyebrows. Brace yourselves because you’d never guess… I hate it when people conserve our natural resources. Yes, you heard me right! But hold your judgments for a moment, because I’m not talking about electricity, coal, oil, or gas. I’m talking about something even more valuable—people. That’s right, people are, without a doubt, our most precious natural resource. And guess what? I have some insights to share about why I believe this to be true.
We’ve all grown up being encouraged to conserve energy and finite resources…and we’ve all heard “turn off the lights” and “don’t waste water”, which is undeniably crucial for the planet. However, in our quest to save the environment, we overlook the immense potential lying dormant within each of us. You see, everyone reading this is an expert in something, and chances are, your expertise is underutilized. So, let’s dive into why I think people should stop conserving their talents and start sharing them!
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As we journey through life, we often focus on the physical setbacks that come with Aging. But here’s the twist: life isn’t just a series of aches and pains; it’s filled with steady increases in emotional gain. One key aspect of this emotional gain is giving back to others. According to Erik Erikson, the renowned Developmental Psychologist who proposed the theory of the 8 stages of development, midlife is when we become “Generative.” This means we have a deep desire to give back our care, skills, values, and expertise to others without expecting anything in return. Engaging in generative acts is how we leave a Legacy, make our mark on the world, find meaning, and remain relevant.
Now, you might be wondering how you can put this into practice in your own life. Well, here’s where my midlife passion project comes into play. I founded “The Mentor Project” because I saw a glaring disconnect in the world of mentorship. I heard well-known tech experts expressing their desire to mentor kids but struggling to find mentees. Meanwhile, the world was echoing with people’s difficulties in finding mentors. It was time to bridge that gap!
Starting with just about ten experts, we launched our initiative, fully aware that many naysayers claimed no one would volunteer their time, especially high-level experts, and certainly not for free. But guess what? We defied expectations and now have more than 100 experts in STEM, art, music, law, Finance, and business on board. From astronauts to artists, our mentors have empowered students to patent their ideas, innovate, and make their dreams a reality. We’ve even taken our mission global, flying an artist from California to Tanzania to teach cartooning to a school of 500 students. Together, we’ve impacted thousands of students in five countries—all for free.
So, what’s the bottom line? I hope you’ll join me in stopping the conservation of our most precious natural resource: people. Embrace your expertise, share it generously, and become part of a movement that’s leaving a lasting legacy, making a mark on the world, finding profound meaning, and staying remarkably relevant. After all, when we unlock the potential within ourselves and in others, there’s no telling what amazing things we can achieve together.
Let’s make the world a better place by Investing in our most valuable resource—each other.
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Originally Published on https://deborahheiserphd.substack.com/
