One of the driving forces behind what I do, a concept that inspires me to no end, is the degree to which each of us has the potential to make a positive impact on the world around us.
Professionally, I happen to be focused on the choices that people make in their careers. My work involves helping people create careers where the work itself energizes them and the difference they're making with that work inspires them.
But that's just one slice of the pie when it comes to the potential for making a difference with our lives. Every day we're presented with countless opportunities to leave the world a little better than we found it. While some of them are big and dramatic, most of them are smaller and subtler.
You've no doubt heard the idea, "What you focus on grows." What if you focused on the question, "What kind of impact am I having?" What if every day you asked yourself that question, and went out of your way to make sure you had an answer?
That's what the folks who write The Impact Blog are doing (or at least they were before their posting activity dwindled). While many of the posts read a little bit like, "Dear Diary, today I...", I love the idea behind it.
I love the idea of shining a spotlight each and every day on the positive ripples we're able to make. I love the way that could raise our awareness, and get our minds in the habit of looking for opportunities, big and small, to make a positive impact.
Most of all, I love the idea of the cumulative potential of a whole bucketload of people getting into that habit.
Like the idea? Why not start right now? Do a quick scan of your day. Have you made a difference? Have you helped someone, even in a small way? Have you smiled at someone when they looked like they needed it? Have you given someone words of encouragement, or shared your insights or advice?
How about tomorrow? While you get ready in the morning, why not plant the idea in your head that, "I'm going to look for ways to make a positive impact." Maybe you'll actually do all of them, maybe you won't. But the more you habitually notice opportunities, the more potential there is for you to follow up on them.
And the more potential there is for the world to become just a little bit better because you live in it.
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Curt Rosengren, Passion Catalyst TM
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