STANDING UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN
We cannot possibly know, for whom and when do we become an example worth following.
Do you remember as a kid, when the summer holidays were coming up, and you couldn’t sleep the night before? You knew you were going away somewhere for a week of magic, and you were full of anticipation.
Well, last week I had this kind of “can’t sleep the night before the magic happens” day. I was signed up for the internationally known story-coach and storyteller, Lisa Bloom’s workshop in Budapest. (about Lisa: http://story-coach.com/).
It was my second time meeting her in person here. It was because of our first meeting in 2014, that I started to write at all. I was asked to write an article about her workshop, and it got so many clicks, and it was so much fun, that I continued writing. Since then, I have my own blog (https://www.kalangu.net/en/blog-articles), I wrote a couple of articles for coaching and HR related magazines, and I was one of the co-authors in a self-development book, issued in the UK, now sold on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Awaken-Your-True-Potential-potential-ebook/dp/B014U5MG5C). In the book, I wrote about my 6 step Dream Work Project, about burnout and how to start a new career after 45.
So that one meeting was indeed very inspiring. And this time it was no different either.
She started the day with an inspiring story, as always.
A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.
She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”
The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied,
“Well, I made a difference to that one!”
The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved. — Adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren C. Eiseley
What a lovely story, right?
Sometimes in life, when we do what we think is right, and stand up for what we believe in and what is important to us, even if at the time it’s not the most sensible and rational thing to do, we can never know, who will be the one to notice it. Just as we cannot know, who will be inspired and motivated by it, so much, that they will start to make changes to their own lives due to this.
We cannot possibly know, for whom and when do we become an example worth following.
For someone, what we do might make all the difference.
That day, Lisa told us stories of her own life, and what she stands for when she gives a speech in front of hundreds of people. She talks about the power of personal stories, in creating real connections, so she tells personal stories too. She talks about real listening, and she really listens when you talk to her.
I remember, when I met her a couple of years ago, besides her stories, the greatest aha moment for me was, when I realized, that she doesn’t just talk about being interested in people’s stories, but she actually really does listen to them.
When I took her around the city, to show her the sights, she asked a lot of questions about me, my life, my present situation, and even years later, she remembered the details. She is authentic, despite her fame, and she walks her talk 100%.
Just like a couple of other leaders in my life. Who don’t necessarily have CEO and director labels on their business cards.
So, when you do your thing, that is important to you, your job, your business, your book, your story, what do you stand for? What do you want people to see you as in your own community?
This is I think one of the most important questions, whether you are a freelancer, or have a business, or you lead hundreds of people. What do you stand for?
Share your thoughts here.
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