Watching Oprah end her 25 year reign as the Queen of daytime talk shows it occurred to me that though she makes a difference in the world, so do I. It is all a matter of scale. Her reach is global with international media and limitless funding behind her. My reach is much smaller.
It was 1978 that I made the decision to live my life with the principle of making a difference guiding me. Its not easy to live this way. There are times when I want to hide and cover my head with a blanket. Then the question of what is the meaning of life challenges me. If I am here on this earth to make a difference, how can I do that with my head buried? I must engage. I tell my relationship coaching clients that the first rule of relationship is: YOU MUST LEAVE THE HOUSE! If you are a social hermit, you cannot make a difference even for yourself.
It is sometimes as simple as asking a question. One time I remember asking an Orthopedic Resident who was in his third year of residency at a University Hospital when was the last time he did something he actually wanted to do outside of medicine? He said something about his wife wanted to go to dinner at a specific place and he had taken her. I said no, not your wife, not your kids, not your senior resident, or even your mother, when was the last time you did something you wanted to do? He couldn’t answer me. He said he didn’t know because it had been so long since he had even thought about his wants. About 10 days later he stopped me in the hallway with a big grin on his face and said he wanted to thank me for making him think about it. He had gone fishing the day before and his disposition reflected a significant change for the better.. It was one of the first times I knew that I in some small way had made a difference in someone’s life.
Each one of us has impact so huge that it cannot be tracked. Look at your life. Who have you touched? Who has benefitted from your experience and support? When were you aware that you make a difference?
If you want to make your life bigger, I can help.