Tag Difference Making

Why YOU Matter!

Steve Keating 3 Comments

There are few things in life that you absolutely must know. I suppose even those few things could be debated. The few things we must know vary by person as well. Your occupation or profession will also partially determine what you need to know too. Where you live might make a difference along with how long you live. 

What you need to know is at least a little different than what I need to know or what the person who lives down the street needs to know. But there is one thing that every single living human being needs to know.

They matter!

YOU matter!

There is absolutely no way you could ever stop mattering. Even if you allow someone to convince you that you are somehow inferior to other people YOU still matter. YOU matter whether you believe it or not, so believe it! 

Because YOU matter, never let someone tell YOU that you don’t. People, anyone, that would tell you that YOU don’t matter clearly do not have your best interests in mind. Ignore them. Those kind of people will likely always be part of your life but it is solely your choice as to whether you listen to them or not. Always remember this: NEVER be one of those people who think or say that YOU don’t matter. Some days you may need to remind yourself often that YOU are amazing and that no matter what happens in your life YOU matter!

The world needs YOU and it needs YOU to be just as YOU are. Even if you’re an identical twin there is only one YOU. No one else can be truly be identical to YOU so don’t rob the world of YOU by trying to be someone or something you’re not. Just be the very best YOU possible. 

Don’t believe that you’re just “good enough” or only “average” because you’re not only the best YOU, you’re the only YOU. Out of billions of people already born and yet to be born there is only one of YOU and that ought to prove just how special YOU are and how much YOU matter. 

Because YOU matter YOU can accomplish great things. You’ve been given a life that allows you the opportunity to make a difference in the world. As long as you can draw a breath you have the opportunity to use your amazing life to make a difference in the life of someone else. YOU do!

Maybe helping other people know how much they matter is the difference you’ll make. It’s a worthwhile difference to make and YOU can do that.

It’s only a question of whether or not YOU will! So answer the question today by telling, and maybe even showing, someone how much they matter to YOU!

If You Want Better Then Be Better

Steve Keating 7 Comments

I would hazard a guess that every person on earth wants “better.” They want to do better, have better, speak better, love better or just plain be better. 

It doesn’t matter what race they are, it doesn’t matter what country they are from. Their faith or lack of faith, their age, and their level of education doesn’t matter either. Everyone wants better.

I’d guess a day hardly goes by that the majority of humans don’t think of something or someone that could be better. Sometimes that “thought” turns into a complaint. Sometimes people will give voice to that complaint by saying “why doesn’t somebody do something?” 

Why indeed! 

Can you imagine a world in which that question was never asked? Can you imagine a world in which instead of asking that “why doesn’t” question they just did it?

Can you imagine a world in which YOU never ask that question but instead just do something?

I’m reminded of a poem first shared with me 25 years ago by my great friend and mentor, Mark Norman. I think of this often when I fall into the trap of thinking “somebody” ought to do something. Here is the poem: 

Your task,

To build a better world said God.

I answered: “How?”

The world is such a large vast place

So complicated now,

And I so small and useless am,

There’s nothing I can do.

But God in his great wisdom said: 

“Just build a better you”.

                          Author unknown

There are certainly many things that could be better that you and I have no control over.  Trying to control those things will only add unneeded stress to your life. So instead of trying to control what you can’t why not commit to controlling and bettering what you can.

You!

One of my goals for each day is simple: be a little better today at something than I was yesterday. It’s a worthy goal and some days I achieve it. I achieve it on the days when I intentionally go after it. The key to achieving almost any goal, even simple ones, is intentionality. You won’t get better by accident, you’ll get better by purpose, on purpose, for a purpose.

Decide today that the “somebody” who “ought to do something” is you. Make a plan, set a goal and get after it! 

Always remember, when you make a difference for even one person you have made a difference for the world. Even if that one person is just little ol’ you.

Why You Can’t Make a Difference

Steve Keating 14 Comments

DifferenceI think given the chance everyone would like to make a difference, in the world, in their world of in someone’s world. I hope so anyway but I also realize that I might be a little naive in my thinking. I hope not.

Let’s assume for the purposes of this post that I’m correct and that we all want to make a difference.

So why do so relatively few actually make a difference? I believe it’s because they don’t know that they have in fact been given that chance.

You see, the title of this post is a bit misleading, you can make a difference, the only question is, will you.  You have a life, your decisions make a difference in that life everyday. There are people in your life, you naturally influence the people around you, therefore, you have a chance to make a difference for them.

You might be the only person to smile at them on a given day and that little smile could be a big difference for them. Your efforts at maintaining a positive attitude might rub off on them.  That could possibly make a difference for them and it will definitely make a difference for you.

You don’t need to invent the next iPhone or find the cure for cancer in order to make a difference. You just have to decide that you will make a difference.

Once you decide that you will make a difference, you begin to discover for yourself all the ways that you already do. When you realize that you already do make a difference, you will likely be more intentional at making even more and bigger differences.

If you’ve convinced yourself that you just cannot make a difference for others, then make a difference for yourself. Overcome a fear, learn a new skill, take a risk. Once you know that it can be done, once you know that you can do it, you’ll know that you can help someone else do it too.

Now, here is the most compelling reason to do any of this, to make that difference for you or those around you: because YOU CAN!

The question remains. Will You?