What do they have in common?
Bill Clinton, Steve Jobs and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
“We cannot build our own future without helping others to build theirs.”
“What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them.”
“This is on of the happiest times I’ve been in — helping young singers.”
These were spoken by three currently very successful people: Bill Clinton, Steve Jobs, and Dame Kiri Janette Te Kanawa. They all share a common upbringing of being orphans and gaining adoptive parents.
Further, they all share a common belief, that sharing and giving is a key to creating happiness and enabling people to create a future.
Bill Clinton created the Clinton Foundation which reaches across the globe, improving lives through health, economic development, supporting artisans and many other programs.
Steve Jobs made it his goal to put a computer in the hands of everyday people, to give them access to create wonderful things. Dame
Kiri Janette Te Kanawa has also created her own foundation which assists young opera singers with their careers.
These are large scale operations, and for many of us isn’t a viable option to help others. But our focus shouldn’t be upon the large, it should be upon the small, the roots of their desire to help others.
They were given love, homes, support, and inspiration. These everyday qualities shaped whom they are, and we can all follow this pattern. If we each contribute small daily sacrifices we can create deep change in someone else’s life.
It helps us to remember and improve our greatest resource: time.
Written by Mark Talevski for Wooree English
