It’s intriguing to think about the vast amount of time, energy, money and focus we, as a culture, are willing to invest in our career and personal goals. We sacrifice our sacred family time, our mental, physical, and emotional health, our personal lives and how many other unknown assets to seek out future success which may very well never be realized. And to what end?
Of course, the answers to that question are varied. Some of us not only achieve but surpass those lofty aspirations. Others fall by the wayside at various points in the formidable journey.
Regardless of the category you may fall into, take a moment to truly consider the priceless investment you’ve made while striving to complete that awesome journey. Have you received a return on that investment (ROI)? Have you paused at any time to provide a return on your investment? Have you given back, to any degree, any of your time, education or experience to assist others on their chosen journey? Investing your time, effort, and resources will provide you with a cherished return on your investment. Personal satisfaction gained by assisting others, mentoring, or simply sharing your experience simply can’t be measured. It takes just a few moments to make somebody’s day, to help someone with their own personal aims and dreams—especially someone who looks up to you for encouragement and support.
Consider the following instance and contemplate the powerful consequences of such a small but generous gesture. How many opportunities, similar to this one, present themselves to us on a regular basis? Of those, how many do we take advantage of? It is certainly food for thought.
A mother wished to encourage her small girl’s interest in the piano and so took her to a local concert featuring an excellent pianist. In the entrance foyer the mother met an old friend and the two stopped to talk. The little girl was keen to see inside the hall and so wandered off, unnoticed by her mother. Mom became concerned when she entered the hall and could see no sign of her daughter. Staff was notified and an announcement was made asking the audience to look out for the little lost girl. With the concert due to start, the little girl had still not been found. In preparation for the pianist’s entrance, the curtains drew aside, to reveal the little girl sitting at the great piano, focused in concentration, quietly picking out the notes of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
The audience’s amusement turned to curiosity when the pianist entered the stage, walked up to the little girl, and with a warm smile on his face, quietly said, “Keep playing.”
The pianist sat down beside her, listened for a few seconds, and whispered some more words of encouragement. He then began quietly to play a bass accompaniment, and then a few bars later reached around the little girl to add more accompaniment. At the end of the impromptu performance the audience applauded loudly as the pianist took the little girl back to her seat to be reunited with her mother.
The experience was inspirational for everyone, not least the small girl. Who knows what impact that kind gesture may have had on the future of that young lady or what inspiration it may have provided those in the audience to do the same in the near future. Never underestimate the potential power you possess and the positive effects it may have on others.
About Harry K. Jones
Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.