Sometimes when I’m brushing my teeth before bed I think, “Wow, it feels like I just did this.” It’s true. As we age, the days feel like they are rolling by faster. Sometimes I wonder what happened to the day. Do you ever feel like that?
Then I wonder what I did during the day. Was I just a slave to my schedule? Did I do anything that really mattered? Did I make a difference? Or was I just taking up space today?
(Now, I realize that I matter to my family and friends, of course, but I’m talking about something bigger.)
Who has made an impact on you, on your life? It doesn’t have to be the most significant impact or the most profound influence. Is there someone who comes to the surface of your mind when you ask yourself that question? Are you still in contact with him? Does he know what an impact he had on your life? When was the last time you told him about his influence?
I challenge you today. Right now. Take a moment and put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and write a letter to that person to tell her how she has impacted your life; what a difference she has made in your life.
What would happen if you called that person to tell him what he has meant to you and your life? Would it be a big risk? What is holding you back? Now, call that person. Right now. Don’t put it off. Read your letter to him. If that person is no longer alive, read the letter to someone he loved.
Now, how do you feel? If I were a betting person I’d say you feel pretty great. How would it feel to be on the receiving end of that call?
What’s holding you back? Don’t wait. You’ll be glad you did this! To see this in action, watch the video below:
Why do we buy? There are so many reasons, if we want to be thorough, but primarily, I think we buy things to solve a problem. The problem may be that we need food, that we need clothing, that we need transportation, that we need medical care. It may, of course, be that we need a gift for someone or that we need a pick-me-up. Perhaps we need to maintain the items we’ve already bought or that we already own, such as an oil change for the car or a haircut. No matter the reason, we all buy things. We also usually have a choice about where we buy. That choice is the crux of it all for a business owner.
Maybe it’s just because I’m a business owner and I’m focused on this stuff, but does anyone else notice it when you get exceptionally great service at a business? Why is that? It makes sense that we would note when we get really bad service, and we do, but why is it such an event when someone at a business we patronize is really nice or goes out of his/her way to help us? Why is that?
I suspect that it’s because it is such a rare event. Why? Why do we put up with that? Why don’t we demand better? It’s our money, right? We can take our dollars down the street (usually), right? Why do some businesses have staff who behave as if they’d rather we didn’t show up; as if they are doing us consumers a favor by serving us? How did that happen? How on earth do they stay in business?
