“You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give” ~ Winston Churchill

This summary of Winston Churchill’s belief in noble causes is a wonderful reminder of why we are here and what a difference we can make. So when you are busy getting caught up in paying bills and working extra shifts take a moment and think; do you want to spend your life making a living? Or making a life?

Earn your living…

Work hard. Support your family. Be sensible with your savings.

These are simple enough as far as instructions go, but they are also some of life’s top priorities. Keeping a roof over your head, clothes on your family’s back and food in the cupboard are the kind of basic duties that can’t be shirked.

Similarly, when working hard and earning a wage, it is practical to put some away in savings, ready for a rainy day, or for when you find yourself and others are in need. Churchill may have equated it to selfish “getting” instead of selfless “giving”, but earning a living, investing and saving is nothing to be ashamed of.

Done for the right reasons, in the absence of greed, earning a living is a necessity. You go to work, and while you’re there you work hard, in order to support those depending on you and to afford what you need in life. Yes, there may be luxuries, and at times there may even be losses. All in all though, earning a living is a necessary part of life.

Beware of squirrelling though. If you become too focused on making money and building your own personal fortune, you will lose sight of what is really important.

Make a life…

Following Churchill’s principle, the meaning of life – of making a life – is to give. This is good news for all those in need across the world, and for those who run relief campaigns and volunteer programmes.

Sharing the wealth and giving what you can not only lifts your spirits and helps you to “make a [good] life”; it also makes a difference to others, bringing about positive change to those who need it most.

Giving to charity and helping others can involve some sacrifice, but it is a rewarding pursuit. You don’t have to donate financially if you are unable to, or if a different action would do more good. You could volunteer your time, do your part to raise awareness, and come up with new ways of showing support.

Organise events that will get people’s attention, where the proceeds can go to charity, spend a few hours a week helping a community in need or sign up for a volunteer trip to a developing country; your time, effort and energy is just as valuable as your money when it comes to helping a good cause.

We spend years searching for the meaning of life, trying to give our own lives purpose and direction, so that we can make a difference. But Churchill’s summary of the quest and the solution is simple; give. Give whatever you can to enrich the lives of others and make your life richer in turn.

So now you know the difference between making a living and making a life, go and do something about it. Live up to your responsibilities, be sensible financially, and then find a way to give your time or money to a good cause.

If you want ideas on how to go about giving back or making a difference, take a look around our site and check out the rest of our blogs!