Our Invisible Influence
Just because we don't see it, doesn't mean it isn't there.
The Tip of the Iceberg
If I was asked to define life, I would say it is the culmination of our choices and interactions with the rest of the world. Every conversation, every decision, every action, plays its part in the story of our lives and the lives of those around us.
When I imagine how my story would read, naturally the bigger events and experiences come to mind. Everything from speaking in front of immense crowds, the successes in my career, my time as a father and the people who have credited me with improving their lives. Together, all of those things paint a picture most would be proud to leave behind.
Something I’ve learned along the way is, as beautiful as the picture may be, it would be incomplete. Many people can go their entire lives without those types of experiences and still leave the world in a better state than it was when they entered it.
It’s easy to capture the accolades and grandiose events. Much like an iceberg, for every piece we see on the surface, there is infinitely more below we are not aware of.
Seconds and Inches
We are always influencing and impacting those around us. For every person that takes the time to tell us we’ve made a difference, there are more we will never know about.
For every major event we recognize contributed good to the world, there will be countless small moments that will accomplish the same without us knowing it.
I believe my story, my picture, is made up of seconds and inches. Meaning one small action or influence, stacked upon countless others, all leading to amazing impact that would not be possible if even one of those things hadn’t set the next in motion. Thousands of dominoes can fall, creating an impressive display, but the result is simply each individual piece playing its part in the right order. Take one out, and we would never experience what was possible.
If one person wouldn't have shared an experience I learned from, if one boss hadn’t challenged my thinking, if one act of kindness didn’t take place to inspire me to pass it on, then the entire picture would not be what it is.
I guarantee you none of the people who contributed those to my life woke up that morning with the intention of crafting who I am. They simply chose to embrace the morals and values they believed at their core, to the best of their ability in all their affairs.
The Frame
So when you go about your day today, remember you will be the domino in someone’s life that sets the next in motion. Your act of kindness will lead to more acts of kindness. The experiences you choose to share will influence experiences in the lives of others. The feedback you choose to give will shape someones future success.
You don't need to be on a stage in front of thousands of people, you don’t have to be someone's boss, and you don't need testimonials from people to prove you make a difference. You already are. Simply by doing the right thing, you make the world a better place.
If the visible influence we have had paints the picture of our life, then surely the invisible influence makes up the frame.
After all, what would a beautiful painting be without a frame holding it all in place?
