In Serving, We Find Ourselves
A six-year Cornell study found that happiness doesn’t come from self-focus but from service—something I’ve witnessed time and again in guiding people toward what truly matters.
Lately I’ve been reflecting on what really brings people alive—not the theories of purpose, but how it’s lived. A recent six-year Cornell study caught my attention because it confirmed what I’ve seen again and again in my work: when we focus less on fixing ourselves and more on contributing to others, something fundamental shifts. We feel more connected, grounded, and quietly fulfilled.
Every few years, another study claims to have cracked the code on happiness. Most focus inward—better habits, mindfulness apps, gratitude journals. But this six-year research project out of Cornell University found something far simpler and, frankly, far more human: the surest path to happiness may be turning outward—toward service and contribution.
Led by psychologist Anthony Burrow, the Cornell team followed more than a thousand students over six years. Some were given a modest sum—just four hundred dollars—and asked to use it in a way that mattered to them. They could spend it on themselves, their family, or their community. Another group received nothing and went about life as usual.
Six weeks later, the difference was striking. Those who used their funds for a meaningful contribution reported greater purpose, belonging, and emotional balance. Their overall sense of well-being rose measurably—while the control group’s did not.
It wasn’t the money. It was the meaning in motion—the simple act of doing something that mattered, something that served others or aligned with their values.
The takeaway is clear: happiness follows contribution.
The Shift from Self to Service
Burrow’s study confirms what many spiritual and psychological traditions have said for centuries: fulfillment is not found in self-focus, but in participation. When we orient toward contribution—when we see our lives as part of something larger—we experience what psychologists call “purpose in life.”
Purpose, in this sense, isn’t a grand mission statement or a perfectly articulated plan. It’s a felt sense that what we do each day matters—to someone, to something, to life itself. And that sense of mattering has profound effects: lower stress, greater resilience, and improved emotional balance.
What makes this study refreshing is its simplicity. No elaborate program or life overhaul—just a short, focused act of service, defined and initiated by each participant.
From Discovery to Embodiment
In my work guiding individuals and leaders through purpose discovery, I’ve seen this same pattern. The first phase—listening for what is calling you now—awakens clarity and direction. But the real transformation happens when people begin to live what they’ve discovered through tangible acts of service.
When purpose moves from reflection to embodiment—when it shows up in how we work, relate, and contribute—something shifts. People feel more grounded, alive, and connected. It is in the doing, the practicing, the connecting that we come to a deeper understanding of our gifts and our true identity.
Service is what gives purpose traction in the world. It’s how meaning takes form.
A Practical Invitation
You don’t need to wait for the perfect calling or a windfall to begin. Try this simple practice inspired by the Cornell study:
Identify one action you can take in the next few weeks that serves someone or something you care about.
Keep it small but meaningful.
Pay attention to what shifts in you as you follow through.
Service doesn’t have to be grand. It can be a conversation that brings someone ease, an act that strengthens community, or a gesture that supports the work of others.
The Quiet Truth
Happiness, it turns out, is not a prize we chase. It’s a quiet outcome of serving life in the ways only we can.
At the end of the day, purpose comes down to one simple truth: Service.
* A Six-year research project found a surprisingly simple route to happiness. by Dana Milbank / Washington Post
