Trevor Patzer founded Little Sisters Fund in 1998 and is the full-time executive director and Secretary of the Little Sisters Fund, Inc. He has received multiple honors for his work with the Fund. Prior to launching the Little Sisters Fund, Trevor managed 5-Star spa projects in Bhutan, the Maldives, and the Turks and in Caicos. Trevor holds a Masters in Educational Administration from the University of Virginia and is a graduate of Brown University and of St. Paul’s School.
My Definition Of Success | For me success is helping others. There is a saying… “If you want to be happy for an hour, take a nap. If you want to be happy for a day, go fishing. If you want to be happy for a year, buy a new car. If you want to be happy for a lifetime, help someone else.” That is the key – a lifetime of happiness comes by helping others.
What Drives Me | I am driven by my commitment to play a small role in improving the lives of those less fortunate than myself. I was fortunate to be born in the United States. Whether we want to acknowledge this or not, being born in the developed world be that the USA or in Western Europe or Japan or Australia is a huge benefit. With this good fortune
comes the responsibility to do my best and to make a positive difference in the world. If I can help, and I mean truly make a positive difference in the life of even just one person, my life has been worth living. If I can make a real difference in the lives of 10 or 100 or 1,000 or 10,000 or 100,000 people, then that is even better.
The Difference Between good And Great | Passion and a deep down commitment makes the difference. That and a bit of luck does not hurt. That said, for the most part, I believe we are integral players in making our own luck.
My Key Talent I am a very determined individual and when I commit to doing something, I attack that challenge with 100% focus and determination. Sometimes people say things like “you can’t do that”. I have learned that indeed you can do just about anything if you set your mind to it and are willing to focus and work your back-side off to accomplish what you set out to accomplish.
The Principles And Values I Live By | I think that the “Golden Rule” is the most important principle to live by. The Golden Rule simply states, “Do onto others as you would have others do onto you” meaning treat others with respect, with love, with compassion, with integrity, with honor etc. – treat them as you would like to be treated. If you live your life by the Golden Rule, good things are sure to multiply and come your way!
Resources I Use To Stay Inspired | There are some great books out there. Some of my favorites are: The Alchemist, The Richest Man in Babylon, The Celestine Prophecy, and The Ultimate Gift. I try to live my life by the teachings of the Buddha and of the Dalai Lama. That said, Christ and the Prophet Muhammad all speak to the same teachings: be kind, be honest, do your best, help others etc.
My Dreams And Ambitions | I want to be the best father and the best husband that I can possibly be. I want to serve as a catalyst in empowering tens of thousands of people to have a better life by giving the gift of education. I want to be humble. I want to be compassionate. I want to give mightily and ask of very little.
The Meaning Of Life | I believe that the most important thing in life is to be happy. If you have not found happiness yourself, then you are in no position to bring happiness to others. I know that true happiness comes from helping others. Thus, the meaning of life is find happiness through being kind and by helping others. No kind deed is too small – open a door for an elderly person, give someone who is hungry something to eat, empower people with education.
On Building Wealth | No amount of money can bring you happiness. However, money can help give you opportunities. My advice to someone who wants to build vast wealth (think Bill Gates or Warren Buffet) is to focus on your goal – building wealth. Then, once you have achieved your goal, give generously of your wealth to help others. This is where you will find true happiness and soul satisfaction.
People Who Inspire Me | I am inspired by people who are committed to making the world a better place. When you turn on the news, it is all negative. But in truth, there are millions of people in the world who are doing good thing and are committed to making the world a better place both for all of us currently but also for future generations.
