Work and live to serve others, to leave the world a little better

In the words of David Sarnoff, “Work and live to serve others, to leave the world a little better than you found it and garner for yourself as much peace of mind as you can. This is happiness.” These words, spoken by a man who helped build the modern age of communication, shine with a wisdom far greater than the boundaries of his time. Sarnoff, the pioneer of radio and television, knew what many powerful men forget: that true happiness is not born from wealth, fame, or dominion, but from service, from the quiet and steadfast labor of improving the world for others. His words echo the eternal law written into the fabric of all noble lives — that joy is not seized by self-interest, but received as the harvest of purpose and peace.

The origin of this quote lies in Sarnoff’s reflections on his life and the role of human effort in shaping the common good. Born in poverty in Russia and rising to become one of the most influential figures in American industry, he witnessed both hardship and triumph. He built empires of technology, yet through it all, he carried a deep belief that the worth of one’s work is measured not in profit, but in impact — in how one’s labor uplifts others and leaves behind a better world. When he speaks of “peace of mind,” he reveals the secret that the ancient sages and philosophers all proclaimed: that the soul finds rest not through gain, but through giving.

The ancients called this principle virtue — the alignment of the human will with the greater good. Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-emperor of Rome, once wrote, “What brings no good to the hive brings no good to the bee.” In those few words lies the same truth Sarnoff voiced centuries later: the happiness of the individual is bound to the happiness of all. To serve others is not self-denial; it is self-fulfillment, for it brings harmony between one’s inner life and the outer world. The man who works only for himself becomes restless and hollow, but the one who works for others builds something eternal — both in the world and within his own heart.

Consider the life of Florence Nightingale, the Lady with the Lamp, who could have lived in luxury yet chose instead to serve the sick and forgotten. In the darkness of war, she carried light — not only the literal lamp that guided her steps, but the spiritual flame of compassion. Her happiness was not comfort, but service; her peace was not leisure, but the knowledge that she had made the suffering of others less heavy. Nightingale’s life is a mirror to Sarnoff’s words: she left the world better than she found it, and in doing so, found the peace that cannot be purchased — the peace of mind that only a purpose-driven life can bring.

Sarnoff’s quote also reminds us that work itself, when consecrated to a higher aim, becomes sacred. The act of labor — whether building a bridge, teaching a child, tending a field, or healing the sick — becomes a form of worship when it is done with the intention to serve. The ancients saw this as the path to transcendence. Confucius taught that harmony in society comes from each person performing their duty with integrity and compassion. Likewise, Sarnoff invites us to view our daily efforts not as burdens, but as opportunities — chances to make the world slightly kinder, cleaner, and more just.

In his words, the phrase “leave the world a little better than you found it” is both humble and profound. It does not ask for heroism or perfection, only effort and sincerity. It calls each soul to responsibility — to plant trees whose shade they may never sit beneath, to act with kindness even when unseen, to contribute something of value to the river of human life. For those who live in this way, happiness ceases to be a fleeting emotion and becomes a steady state of being — the calm assurance that one’s life, however small, was meaningful.

The lesson, then, is clear: serve to be happy. Seek not the glitter of rewards, but the glow of fulfillment. Each day, ask yourself not, “What can I gain?” but “What can I give?” Perform your work with excellence, not for pride, but for the benefit it brings to others. Guard your peace of mind as a sacred flame, and feed it through compassion, honesty, and purpose. The happiness you seek will not come from the world’s applause, but from the quiet knowledge that you have lived rightly — that you have, in your own way, made the world gentler and more whole.

So remember, O listener, the enduring wisdom of David Sarnoff: to live in service is to live in joy. When you lift another’s burden, you lighten your own. When you work not only for profit but for progress, you become part of something eternal. And when you leave the world just a little better than you found it — through your words, your labor, your kindness — you will discover the only happiness that lasts: the peace of a soul aligned with the good. For in the end, happiness is not what we take from the world, but what we give back to it.