11. Altruism: Selflessness and a Sense of Mission
Like we’ve said before, most people aren’t joining the military for the paycheck. You’re talking about people who are used to giving their best performance both because they need to and because they believe in the higher purpose behind what they’re doing.
It can be hard to find somewhere to funnel that in the civilian world. If you were a strong believer in the military’s mission, you’re not necessarily going to find a replacement right away.
But it’s still a strength to have that drive and that willingness to believe that your efforts can serve a larger mission. Because the unpleasant reality is, a majority of people in the civilian business world aren’t working for any greater purpose. They’re just looking for a paycheck, or to make ends meet.
It’s kind of depressing to think about, but the majority of the employed aren’t working their jobs because they care about them. Even a lot of very wealthy, very influential people are just doing what they’re doing because they felt that they had to “get ahead” somehow.
That’s a trap that military veterans can steer clear of — if they’re willing to stick to their sense of altruism; that belief that it’s worth working and even sacrificing for something you really believe in.
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