"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others.
And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them."
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama’s wisdom here is deceptively simple, but it hits like a freight train when you really think about it. He’s basically saying, “Look, life’s hard enough as it is. So, do your part: either make it better or at least don’t make it worse.”
The Case for Helping Others
Helping others isn’t just some feel-good, kumbaya nonsense. It’s deeply practical. Humans are wired for connection. We thrive when we lift each other up, and our lives are more meaningful when we feel like we’re contributing to something bigger than ourselves. Helping others isn’t just altruism—it’s also self-preservation. You make the world a better place to live in, and you get the added bonus of feeling like your life actually matters.
Think about it: What’s the point of chasing all your personal goals—money, success, comfort—if you’re surrounded by a world of suffering?
Helping others is what turns personal success into something sustainable and fulfilling. It’s what gives life depth beyond the surface-level grind.
But What If You Can’t Help?
Here’s where the Dalai Lama shows his practical side.
He gets it—not every situation can be fixed.
You won’t always have the energy, resources, or know-how to help. Sometimes, people don’t want your help, or worse, your help might make things worse. That’s life.
But even in those moments, there’s still one thing you can do: don’t add to the chaos.
Don’t make someone’s life harder just because you’re having a bad day or because their struggle makes you uncomfortable. Sometimes, the most compassionate thing you can do is just stay in your lane or get out of the way.
Why This Matters
The world is full of people making things worse, intentionally or not. They project their pain onto others, spread negativity like it’s their personal mission, or just bulldoze through life without a second thought. And I will bet you a dollar that most of them don’t even realize they’re doing it.
If we all lived by this, at least deliberatly trying not to cause harm, the world would be a much less exhausting place.
The Bottom Line
You don’t have to save the world or solve everyone’s problems. But every day, you have a choice: Am I going to make things better, or at least not make them worse?
That’s it.
Some days, you’ll knock it out of the park and make someone’s life better. Other days, just keeping your own mess contained is enough.
Either way, you’re trying. You are doing your part.
And honestly, that’s more than most people can say.
Excellent piece, Randy. So simple yet profound.