Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
Howard Thurman
What Makes You Come Alive
Topic: Courage, Integrity, & Purpose
Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
Howard Thurman, born on November 18, 1899, in Daytona Beach, Florida, was a highly influential figure in American history who wore several open-ended and overlapping hats as a theologian, philosopher, educator, and civil rights leader. Thurman's formidable intellectual pursuits led him to become an influential author whose writings and teachings underscored the intersection of spirituality and the fight for social justice. Raised in a segregated society, he became a beacon of enlightenment and understanding, leveraging the power of religion and spirituality as tools to combat racial discrimination and social injustice.
Among Thurman's most notable contributions was his mentoring of the legendary civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Thurman played a pivotal role in shaping King's understanding of nonviolent resistance, an essential cornerstone of the Civil Rights Movement. His book, "Jesus and the Disinherited," deeply influenced King and provided the philosophical underpinning for the nonviolent resistance tactics that King later popularized. In addition to his role as mentor to King, Thurman was the first African-American dean of a predominantly white university, serving as the dean of Marsh Chapel at Boston University. His legacy continues to inspire countless individuals in the fields of civil rights, theology, and education. Howard Thurman passed away on April 10, 1981, in Daytona Beach, Florida, leaving behind a substantial and impactful body of work.
Thurman, Howard. “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Violence Unveiled: Humanity at the Crossroads, by Gil Bailie, Crossroad, 1996, p. xv.
Howard Thurman
Theme: Moral Courage
About This Howard Thurman Quotation [Commentary]
Howard Thurman encourages individuals to seek what invigorates their spirit rather than merely fulfilling external expectations. His advice, “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive,” underscores the concept of moral courage. This involves living authentically and passionately, aligning one’s actions with personal fulfillment and integrity, rather than conforming to societal demands.
Thurman’s work, particularly in “Meditations of the Heart,” underlines the importance of the inner journey in discovering one’s true self. He advocates for internal consent as a filter to ensure one’s actions and choices resonate with their deepest values and convictions. This internal vetting process is crucial for moral courage, as it requires honoring one’s inner voice, even against external pressures or norms.
In essence, Thurman’s teachings connect individual fulfillment with the world’s broader need for genuine, engaged contributors. He posits that moral courage is not merely about confronting external challenges but also about embracing the internal quest to uncover and nurture one’s unique passions. Thurman’s message serves as a guide for those seeking to live with impact and purpose, emphasizing the importance of personal authenticity and inner authority.
A Couple of Additional Quotations From Howard Thurman
Verification of the Citation via Quote Investigator
Quote Investigator: In 1995 teacher Gil Bailie published “Violence Unveiled: Humanity at the Crossroads”. Bailie stated that he heard the quotation under examination from Howard Thurman. [1997 (1995 Copyright), Violence Unveiled: Humanity at the Crossroads by Gil Bailie, Section: In Gratitude by Gil Bailie, Date on Section: August 1994, Start Page xv, Quote Page xv, A Crossroad Book: The Crossroad Publishing Company, New York.]
Once, when I was seeking the advice of Howard Thurman and talking to him at some length about what needed to be done in the world, he interrupted me and said: “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
The text above appeared in a section titled “In Gratitude” dated August 1994. Bailie indicated that he heard the remark from Thurman twenty years in the past, i.e., around 1974. Howard Thurman died in 1981.
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