The reasons why I love my field of work a lot are the quality and nature of the people I deal with, but I still encounter more workers in this field who have become more slack and lazy in their work, and things have worsened since the last elections. This is understandable, as the past few years have been somewhat harsh on everyone.

The current challenges have highlighted the ugliness of these oppressive systems, such as grant programs, the public system, in addition to hiring practices and others that we work within. I am personally exhausted as well, as I continuously gather donations from various sources, and sometimes I wish my work did not require so much mental and emotional strain.

Recently, I read the book "The Paradoxical Commandments" by Kent M. Keith, which is a collection of inspiring commandments often attributed to Mother Teresa. I have quoted these lines from it:

  • The good you do today will be forgotten by people tomorrow.. so do good anyway.
  • What you can spend years building may be destroyed overnight, so build anyway.
  • If you give the world your best, it may return to you with the worst.. so give your best anyway.”

These commandments made me think of writing a similar set of advice pertaining to our field of work.

The Paradoxical Commandments for Charity Workers:

  1. Your efforts and the years you have spent working to achieve your vision may be forgotten, and your labors may later be attributed to those who come after you, so work to achieve that vision anyway.
  2. The programs and organizations you created may be destroyed by the whims of those with resources and influence, yet continue to create programs and organizations.
  3. Sometimes those around you and the community you are working hard to uplift may doubt your motivations and criticize you, so work hard to uplift this community regardless of their negative opinions about you.
  4. People you help may not appreciate the hours you dedicate or the sacrifices you make for that, so help people anyway.
  5. When you engage in conversations related to race, gender, disability, or other sensitive issues, you may make mistakes or misunderstandings, so engage in these conversations without hesitation.
  6. If you are working towards diversity, equity, and inclusion, you may face harassment or even punishment from those in power, so work towards diversity, equity, and inclusion anyway.
  7. Taking the risk of hiring individuals or investing in communities ostracized by the rest of society may cost you losses in the short term, yet, risks must be taken.
  8. Share your failures and the lessons you’ve learned candidly, even though it may make you vulnerable to ridicule.
  9. Opposing unjust philosophies and practices may cost you donors and funders, as well as other supporters, but do not remain silent about injustice.
  10. Working with many volunteers, board members, donors, funders, and others can be exhausting and difficult, so try to appreciate their efforts.
  11. If you are working hard and relying on ethics in your dealings, you may be surpassed by less competent people and institutions with privileges or connections, so work hard and ethically no matter the cost.
  12. If you are on the right path, those who take crooked paths may attack you, and you may not be able to defend yourself. So take the right path anyway.
  13. Your trust and cooperation with other organizations may lead to your institution being exploited, yet do not cease seeking other opportunities to build effective partnerships and trust them.
  14. Our field of work is flawed, as the systems in place are imperfect, continue to work within this reality anyway, and strive to change it.
  15. Your efforts and dedication to work for consecutive years may just be the foundation for a path that requires much more, so be the one to contribute to laying that foundation.
  16. You may not receive thanks for everything you have given to the world, including your friends, family, and community, so do good anyway.

Source: Guidestar

Author: Fu Li