A heart of service needs people to serve
If you are at the stage of your inspired work journey where you have already done the deep inner work to get clear about the unique contribution you are here to make (i.e., your purpose, vision, and mission) and you have also birthed your work in the form of a valuable offer, the next step is to connect with the people you want to serve.
One of the elements I see visionaries struggle with the most is their ability to specifically identity who their work is for. Most people don’t want to “limit” their options and say their work is for “everyone”. However, if you try to speak to everyone, you will reach no one. For people to be able to connect with you and recognize the value of your work, they need to feel as though you can relate to who they are and that you understand what they are quietly grappling with in their own lives.
The underlying challenge is that to identify those who we serve also means we have to reveal vulnerable parts of ourselves. This may be uncomfortable, but it’s also necessary because what’s even more painful is to have a heart of service and no one to serve.
Four ways to identify who you serve
To identify who you serve with your work, try one or more of the following exercises:
- Describe yourself and the experience of your own journey.
The experiences you’ve had in life have helped you become well-positioned to support others who are going through the same. You will attract those into your work who are on a similar journey. So, if you want to know who you serve, describe yourself (e.g., what matters to you and why) and the arc of the journey you have been travelling. - Name the qualities of people you enjoy being with.
If you are going to invest your valuable time and energy into serving others, they best be the people you want to be with. Imagine your work as an opportunity to interact every day with people you adore. It’s a windfall that doesn’t come with most pay packages. - Hone in on a specific challenge they face.
Nobody seeks a solution to a problem they don’t have. People are coming to you because they have a situation they can’t solve on their own. To demonstrate your understanding, you don’t even necessarily need to articulate the problem. However, you do need to be able to convey what it is they are currently experiencing emotionally, physically, and/or spiritually as a result of the problem because this is what’s driving them to seek a solution. - Celebrate their true desires.
Each person holds something close to their heart that is sacred to them. They rarely speak of it out loud for fear that others will stomp all over their precious hopes and dreams. You want to be a person who not only honours their dreams, but also helps them realize that it is possible to fulfill their deepest desires. Speak to that which opens their heart.
It’s a vulnerable act to proclaim who you serve. You have to share parts of yourself you may prefer to keep hidden. What if you put yourself out there and they don’t come?
The reality is that the reason they don’t come is not because they have deemed you unworthy, but because they can’t see you. By honing your messaging to speak directly to their essence, you will help them find their way to you with greater ease. You get to provide your valuable offer, they get their needs met and desires fulfilled. Humanity moves forward. It's a win for everyone.
