Here's how you can immerse yourself in the community outreach field before changing careers.

Take a moment to think about people you admire. They could be people close to you, in your community or even at a state or national level. How did they get their start with volunteering and service in general? Where do they spend their time? Are there particular organizations they are passionate about serving and volunteering with? Consider asking them if you could sit down with them for 10 minutes to learn about their volunteer and professional journey. Or if they are a bit out of reach, do a search online to see what you can find. The answers to these questions could lead you in exciting directions and give you great ideas for what to dive into as first steps.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." As you take your journey through service and volunteering, consider reflecting in a personal journal to capture your thoughts. When I was in clubs and later in the Peace Corps I wrote online (with blogger at the time) and I later collected those writings into two books to help future volunteers learn from my experiences and mistakes. If you can, ask a friend to volunteer with you so you can share your experiences together. You’ll have plenty to reflect on, questions to ask and stories to remember for a lifetime.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." As you take your journey through service and volunteering, consider reflecting in a personal journal to capture your thoughts. When I was in clubs and later in the Peace Corps I wrote online (with blogger at the time) and I later collected those writings into two books to help future volunteers learn from my experiences and mistakes. If you can, ask a friend to volunteer with you so you can share your experiences together. You’ll have plenty to reflect on, questions to ask and stories to remember for a lifetime.

I’ve always loved quotes. Here are a few great ones on the importance of service: Albert Schweitzer: "The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others." Martin Luther King Jr.: "Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’" Dalai Lama: "Our prime purpose in this life is to help others." Booker T. Washington: "Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others." Anne Frank: "No one has ever become poor by giving." Albert Einstein: "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile." Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has."