There are few things in life that feel as good as someone thanking you for helping them.

I recently spoke at a music teachers’ conference about the effects of tinnitus on a life in music. In fact, as I write this, I am on a plane over the midwestern United States on my way home from that very conference.

The third morning of my stay I was having breakfast on the patio of the hotel restaurant. As I started to eat I saw a lady coming towards me with what can only be described as focused determination. She had found out about my seminar the day before from some friends of hers and had spent the whole afternoon, evening and morning trying to reach me.

I was so excited and breathing fast as she came up to me and said, “Paul, I’m so glad I finally found you.” She went on to say how sorry she was that she missed the seminar, but how grateful she was that she could talk to me in private. This had happened to me many times before, so I knew she was about to do some serious spiritual work.

I invited her to sit down while I finished eating and she told me her story. I was anticipating a sad story because hardly anyone who tracks me wants to tell me how great her life is. Still, as he suspected, she was in crisis. She was losing her sight due to a rare disease and wanted my advice on how to cure her.

I explained that I have no experience curing ailments like this and that I was not a licensed physician or miracle healer. She understood that, but she still wanted to know what she would suggest for her particular situation.

So, after listening carefully to her story and the intricate details of how she felt she had gotten to this point in her life, I began with the same question I ask everyone. “What do you really want?”

She quickly responded with the answer she expected: “I don’t want to lose my sight.”

And, as I do when I train tinnitus patients, I replied, “I didn’t ask you if you want that you don’t want, I asked you what you want.” “What is the difference?” she asked.

“There’s a big difference,” I told him. “In fact, knowing what you don’t want and focusing on what you don’t want is a certain recipe for blindness.” I could see by the expression on her face that she really didn’t see how this was possible.

But, as I have said many times before, focusing on a problem and trying to fix it, with the same mind that created the problem, will not work, ever!

For the next hour and a half I did my best to give him the benefit of my experience. We talked about the law of attraction and how the mind generally wants to focus on problems. I also suggested that she share with me something that she doesn’t have in her life right now but has always wanted to have. In other words, I asked, “Is there something you’d like to do with your life that you’ve always wanted to do?”

She reads like a Christmas tree. “I’ve always wanted to make furniture!” So I asked her, “why did you choose to be a music teacher?” “Because,” she said, “I was good at it and it pays the bills, so that’s what I’ve always done.”

“You know,” I said, “the vast majority of people don’t know what they want in life, so they take whatever comes.”

Throughout our time together, I really did my best to be a beacon and get her headed in the right direction. I asked her to pursue her dream of becoming a furniture maker and stop concentrating on “not going blind.” Even if she eventually goes blind, I know in my heart that if she pursues her goal, she will have a fulfilling life, regardless of the circumstances surrounding her situation.

This is good advice. If you’re not willing to go after what you want in life, you’ll never really be happy, period. We all have a purpose and it is up to each of us to listen to our heart and follow that purpose. Anything less is less than enough and is a sure recipe for perpetual unhappiness.

As she thanked me for our time together, I could tell she was truly moved by my words. She had a smile on her face that was nothing short of cheerful. I felt so good for helping her. And, because I know and live the law of attraction, I knew I would be rewarded in some way, that’s how it works. I don’t expect it, I just know it.

The next day, I checked into a 5-star resort and palatial 3-bedroom hacienda for just $99 a night. A colleague had it installed and for the next 2 days I lived in the lap of luxury. Is it luck? I do not think so.

There is one sure way to get more of what you want in life and that is to help others get what they want.