My biggest aspiration is to inspire people to do good. I believe that our wish for a harmonious world begins and ends with doing good. To inspire and empower people to focus on goodness, I wrote a new book called Activate Your Goodness: Transforming the World through Doing Good.
Doing good holds the power to transform us on the inside, and then ripple out in ever-expanding circles that positively impact the world at large. My book highlights personal stories and those of others around the world, to give readers practical tools in making a positive difference in the world.
Health, happiness, peace and prosperity, a better world for our children -- everyone wants these same things. People are united in their quest for a better life, in any culture, and anywhere in the world. By activating your goodness and expressing goodwill and faith in people's ability, you can become part of the growing community of good that together creates a lasting and real change, for us and future generations.
Activate Your Goodness explains how we all have a stake in our collective future, each and every person in their own unique way. As I see it, it is all about personally taking responsibility for our actions, and fully realizing that by thinking good, speaking good and doing good, you can find your place in life.
In a nationwide survey held recently, GfK Custom Research has shown that "one out of three adult Americans (32 percent) report doing a good deed for someone whom they did not know in the past day." I believe that given the opportunity, people want to do good. Becoming active, each individual can be part of creating a positive change, on a personal level for themselves, for their community, society and the planet.
Doing good is simple. Everyone can do it. Out of this simple idea, I initiated Good Deeds Day seven years ago, calling everyone to come out and give of themselves for the benefit of others. Starting in Israel with 7,000 participants, Good Deeds Day has since grown to become an international event, with more than 350,000 Israelis taking part and thousands more in 50 countries worldwide. As many others are, I am also very passionate about Good Deeds Day because it shows how our world can look all year round. The world on Good Deeds day is one step closer to being united around one cause that we all share -- doing good.
The national survey also showed that Americans across the country are good deed doers regardless of geographical location or demographics, it also indicated that four out of five (82 percent) adult Americans would participate in one day out of the year that is all about doing good deeds for others.
Celebrated internationally March 10, 2013, Good Deeds Day is based on partnerships and collaborations between people, organizations, businesses and communities. Neighborhoods are spruced-up, volunteers distribute food for the needy, plant gardens and clean beaches, entertain the elderly, help with farming, and engage in thousands of creative projects that do good.
In 2012, MTV International campaigned the message of good to its millions of viewers across the globe. This year, ABC Network is showcasing the message of Good Deeds Day in Times Square, involving volunteers and organizations such as Jump Start, and more. In countless cities across the US people from all walks of life, any age or social background, will activate their goodness and step out to do a good deed for the benefit of others, be it large or small, and according to their own time and skill.
For example, in Washington D.C., Virginia and Maryland some 3,000 people from communities, organizations, and businesses, have already signed up to participate in scores of projects, such as Common Good Farm where produce is picked and fields are prepared for spring farming season. In several colleges across the United States, students chose to become engaged in Good Deeds Day and volunteer in schools, child care centers and more.
Each person can be part of the growing global movement of good, in their own unique way. Through business and philanthropy, the platforms I have been privileged to act through, and in my personal initiatives, such as Good Deeds Day, or my digital platform Goodnet.org, and also in my book Activate Your Goodness, I wish to demonstrate that positive impact is possible, for you personally, and in all spheres of life.
Putting forward your positive energy connects you back to basic human values which we all share. Good Deeds Day shows that no matter the size of the gesture, a smile that brightens someone else's day or volunteering in your community, we can all take active part in making a difference. My new book Activate your Goodness is dedicated to every individual who goes out and does good deeds for the benefit of others.