WHERE CAN I DO THE MOST GOOD
There comes a time when we must look beyond what we do and ask why we do it.
There comes a point in life when we all have to ask ourselves a simple question:
Where can I do the most good?
Not where the title is. Not where the recognition is. Not where people expect us to be.
Where can we genuinely make the biggest difference?
Over the last few years, politics has taken me on a journey I never expected. It has introduced me to people from all walks of life, challenged my thinking and given me opportunities I never imagined I would have.
It has also forced me to think carefully about purpose.
When I first became involved in politics, I wanted to make a difference. That remains true today. The desire to help build a better future for my daughter, my granddaughter and future generations is still at the heart of everything I do.
What has changed is my understanding of how change happens.
For a long time, I believed that elected office was the primary way to influence events. While it remains an important role, I have come to realise that some of the most meaningful work often happens away from council chambers and committee meetings.
Real change often begins with conversations.
It begins with bringing people together, listening to concerns, building communities and encouraging others to get involved. It happens when people who care about their country, their town or their community decide to stop watching from the sidelines and start participating.
Over recent months I have found myself reflecting on where my strengths truly lie.
I enjoy meeting people. I enjoy organising events. I enjoy helping others find their confidence and encouraging them to take part. I enjoy building things from the ground up and creating opportunities for people to become involved in causes they believe in.
Those experiences have taught me something important.
We do not all serve in the same way.
Some people are natural campaigners. Some are organisers. Some are leaders. Some are listeners. Some are builders. All are valuable.
Too often we judge success by titles rather than impact. Yet some of the most effective people I have met hold no office at all. They simply show up, put the work in and make a difference where they can.
Perhaps that is the question we should all ask ourselves from time to time.
Not “What position do I hold?”
Not “What am I expected to do?”
But:
“Where can I do the most good?”
The answer will be different for each of us.
What matters is having the courage to ask the question honestly.
Because when we find the place where our skills, values and passions meet, we often discover where we are meant to be.
And that is where we can make the greatest difference of all.