We tend to forget how often our actions can influence others (even complete strangers) without us even knowing about it. I’ve noticed this through something I’ve been try to do more of lately: running.
Let me explain…
At the beginning of the year I started running and had a goal to run a few races. A few months into it my knee started bothering me, and I eventually threw in the towel on the whole idea. So for most of the summer I was frustrated with myself that I started something but didn’t finish it.
Then I was influenced by a stranger.
My wife and I were on a cruise back in August and while at dinner one night, I found myself eavesdropping on a couple of guys at the table next to us. One of the guys said he had just run a race and it all started by simply walking each day. Keep in mind, this guy was an older, larger dude…he wasn’t some elite beast of an athlete. Well that got stuck in my head and I started thinking…
“If that joker can do it, then I can do it.”
So when I got home, I started walking and have got back into a running routine again.
Here’s another quick example…Last night on my flight I ended up seated next to an old friend. We were getting caught up on life, and he told me he recently finished the Chicago marathon. I was totally impressed and immediately started asking lots of questions. He told me a story about traveling out West and stumbling across an ultra-marathon being run in Death Valley. This wasn’t just any race…it was 135 miles through temperatures reaching 130 degrees…that’s freaking insane!
But my friend said he saw those people running this race and thought…
“If they can do 135 miles in these conditions, I can do 26 miles.”
Influenced by a group of strangers.
You have no idea how your words, actions, and attitudes influence not only your friends and family but also complete strangers who you’ll never meet or know how you impacted them. Therefore…
Think before you speak. Pause before you react. Be cautious how you treat others. Why? You have no idea how it will impact others…both positively and negatively.
Are you reading this Tiger?
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2 Comments
Great post, Grant. Someone and often most people have it worse or have undergone something more difficult than our current challenges. How hard it seems to save on an entry level salary until one thinks of the recent immigrant making half of that income for twice as many hours . . . yet somehow finds a way to wire home money every week.
Very true Michael…