Have you found yourself in the situation to ask yourself “If I can’t be of service by taking x and y task, what I am good for here?”

If you rely only on serving others to perceive yourself as valuable, here’s what might happen:
😥 You might end up by lacking a personal identity – identifying only with being of service can result in neglecting your personal passions and goals, leading to a loss of purpose outside of helping others.
🥀 Burnout potential – constantly prioritizing others’ needs over your own can lead to burnout and exhaustion, as you neglect self care and personal fulfillment.
🔁 Dependency risk – relying solely on serving others for self-worth can lead to dependency issues, where your value becomes contingent on others’ needs.

I confess I was in such a situation at a certain point in my professional life. Many years ago, as a young people leader, I thought that showing up constantly to help others will validate my competency and my “place” in the new role.

So, what did I do to put an end to this?
✅ Prioritized self awareness – recognized when I was seeking validation through helping others
✅ Established boundaries – learned how to say “no” in a constructive manner to maintain a balance between helping others and taking care of my own needs
✅ Pursued diverse interests – started cultivating hobbies and engaged in activities that brought me joy and fulfillment independently of external validation

If you find yourself in this situation, do not wait to reach burnout to realize there is much more to your self worth than helping others.