When I was much younger and before I went out on my own, the world seemed boundless, as did my opportunities. I wanted to do great things in big ways — to make a better world. I didn’t know what those achievements would be, but I knew my purpose was to impact the world in a wonderful and big way. I would do God’s will for my life and it wouldn’t be anything puny. Start a charitable foundation. Establish a homeless shelter. Lead a movement. Something along those lines. I never was in a position to make any of those big things possible. I eventually realized that my expectations were beyond the limits of God’s will for me.
This became evident when I was stationed as a commander at a military assignment in the northwest. I led an organization where I really wanted to do a killer job. I went into the job like most young officers — with an ambitious agenda and great aspirations on how I could make the organization the best of the best, with a tremendous reputation. Instead, I found myself constantly reacting to the turmoil of each day, putting out “fires”, and just keeping my head above water. What I did accomplish however, was to cultivate many relationships. I mentored those my junior and impact the lives of those I lead by my daily example, our one-on-one discussions, and practicing my values. And I know I did have an impact because they told me so.
Through this experience, I grew to understand that most of the good in this world is accomplished when each person is able to make a unique and individual positive impact on another. A kind and selfless act that usually costs us nothing and make’s someone else’s day better, makes this a better world. It also makes us feel better and its contagious. It makes us feel better because it is giving at its purest, without expecting anything in return. It’s contagious, because it causes the recipient to appreciate it, then live up to the gesture. You can be a ray of sunshine in someone’s otherwise dreary day. Consider how a sincere gesture can touch someone’s day:
•The casual compliment to your work colleague on always having such a great attitude
•A word of encouragement to the store clerk just rudely treated by the previous customer
•Letting the guy change lanes in front of you
•Making the young mother on the plane feel at ease when her baby is crying
•Offering to stand on public transportation, so someone else can sit
•and what about the whole Starbucks Pay-It-Forward phenomena?
Do you remember a couple of years ago when during the Christmas holidays, Starbucks customers were paying the tab for the person behind them, to the tune of over a 1000 customer streak? That sensation was repeated across the nation not only because it was unusual, but because it was a feel-good and inspiring story that captured the spirit of the season. People like the feeling that selflessness brings.
And what better icon of selflessness than Mother Teresa? Mother Teresa made a better world not because she ran a facility for the homeless, sick and indigent, but because of her caring touch and love she offered each individual.
“Do not wait for leaders. Do it alone, person to person. If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”
— Mother Teresa
My challenge for you is to find an opportunity in each day to make someone else’s day just a bit better. I will too. It will make a better world, and I’m certain it will make our days even better too.
Be Your Best!