“If you could only love enough, you would be the most powerful person in the world.” — Emmet Fox
Let’s just sit with that one from Mr. Fox.
Love on.
But only always.
From My Heart To Yours
In all of my relationships (whether personal, professional or casual) when I come from love it empowers, ignites, and shows me I need never fear the outcome because love reminds me my only purpose is to serve.
When I serve I no longer fear rejection, disapproval, failure, miscommunication, unmotivated employees, missed deadlines, lack of resources, lost sales, unhappy customers, and the list goes on and on.
How might your world be different if you always ask:
- How can I serve the person in front of me right now?
- What problem can I solve for them?
- What difference can I make?
Constantly seeking to please creates a culture of mistrust and disingenuous friendliness. But only every time.
Stop trying to please everyone. Whether or not someone likes you for your decisions, your ethics, your products or the way you tie your shoes is not your story.
Your success and organizational growth won’t come because you’ve won someone over or networked your way into a contract. Your employees, customers, vendors, peers, family members, and friends love and respect you because you serve them.
That’s it.
What is different because you showed up today?
Behind Door #1
In honor of the Christmas season, my family recently visited an assisted-living facility, where we moved from floor to floor stopping in the residents’ public gathering places to sing a selection of holiday songs.
After our third performance we were approached by a nurse who asked if we would be so kind as to sing for a 100-year-old patient unable to leave her bed.
We immediately obliged and our very large assembly squeezed into a modestly-sized room, where Miss Ellie lay bed-ridden and speechless, but with eyes wide open.
I stood at the foot of Miss Ellie’s bed riveted to the floor as her gaze locked with mine and while I sang, my heart swelled with love, tears spilling from my eyes.
We shared three or four songs, all the while Miss Ellie’s eyes never leaving mine and before leaving her room I approached her bed, bent and gently kissed her, and thanked her for her gift to me.
How often do we stay in the public gathering places of our lives to share our services?
When was the last time you went through an unknown door to simply serve because someone on the other side couldn’t come to you?
Miss Ellie’s fierce devotion to living serves as a reminder to me that behind every door is an opportunity to keep growing when we serve with love.
But only every time.