Who Are ~ The Special Ones?

"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness".

~ Martin Luther King.

Want to know how to make more sales? Get people to take action? Follow your leadership? Or just do you a favor? There's books written about it. People who make a living telling you how to do it. Industries built around the secrets, tips, processes and insights on how to do it better. But when you drill them all down most say "Focus your attention on others needs - serve well enough and you will be served." And you know what? ~ Duh. But think about the paradox. You are tuned in to an end result that will satisfy your needs. You are tuned in to the channel WIIFM (What's In It For Me?) as a starting point. Human beings are, by nature, self serving creatures. If we don't make the sale. If people don't do what we ask. If we don't get the result we wanted it's usually because we didn't communicate to another human being that taking action was in their best interest. Our message, our value proposition, wasn't strong enough to overcome their not taking action. We didn't connect, emotionally, with their WIIFM station. Their WIIFM was listening to something more compelling and important. So we don't get what we want ~ and, if we are big boys and girls, we take responsibility for that and say "I didn't make it important enough ~ I didn't connect and tune in well enough to their WIIFM".

But what about the Special Ones? Who are the Special Ones? The Special Ones start with a different premise. They recognize that WIIFM is our true nature, and it's difficult to resist, but they start with something that's greater than themselves. They start with something that goes against their self interest - something uncomfortable, without immediate reward, with disadvantages, and with an end result that may in fact work against their self interest. Something that satisfies a good outside of themselves. Now a psychologist will argue that the satisfaction gained from this is, in fact, self interest fulfilled. So, they will point out, special ones are nonetheless following a human beings true, self serving, nature - perhaps so. I still think they're special.

So what does all this psycho babble / mumbo jumbo mean?

If we want to sell more, get someone to do something, or follow us ~ We simply need to appeal powerfully enough to their WIIFM.

If WE want to do something special ~ Tune in to another station.

If You Were Asked...?

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."

~ Rudyard Kipling.

If you were asked to share the words of someone that really made a difference in your life ~ which words would you choose? Which words do you remember? What advice stuck with you? Was it something your father or mother said? Was it the words of a coach, teacher or a respected friend? Was it something you read or saw up on the silver screen? Was it the words of a song? What were the words that made a difference in your life? We all know about the people that made a difference to us - We all know the actions, behavior, character and the example they set that influenced us. But what about the words? What words would you choose? What would YOU say if you were asked to share those words? Which words made a difference in your life?

Thoughts become Words. ~ Words become Action. ~ Action becomes Habit. ~ Habit becomes Character. ~ Character becomes Who we are. ~ "If" you were asked...

If You're A Man.

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"There is nothing more important than being a father."

Let Me Tell You...

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"Maybe it's proving people wrong, ... Maybe I'm like the defiant child - Tell me I can't do something and I'm going to go out and get it done.”
~ Adam Meyer.

I don't know much and what I do know was copied from people who do stuff much better than I ever could. But here is what I do know...

Those people who start off by saying "Let me tell you something..." and follow it up with their opinion on what any of us can't do might as well be pouring gasoline on white hot embers. If you have any kind of inner fire it will burst into flames upon hearing those words.

Support and encouragement is nice - It's like honey. Warm, comforting, and it sure goes down smooth. But here's the thing... Those snivelling souls who tell you that you can't do something -
They also serve a purpose. - Just go out and prove them wrong.

There's a very profound saying that states ~ "You never have to prove anything to anyone but yourself" and that's very true. But I say...
What the hell ~ Give yourself a little pleasure every now and again -

Show them what you're made of.

Don't ever let ANYONE tell you what you can't do.

Loyalty.

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"The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith." ~ Confucius.

Some say loyalty is dead. A quaint and outdated notion that has been swept aside by the multiple choices and options now immediately available to us. Technology gives us the ability to instantly compare prices, products, positions and yes ~ even people. Inevitably we all compare "value" in our never ending quest for something or someone that fills our "needs". We all want the best deal, best job, best price, best products and the best life and so we compare - so what?

There is a beloved story, told in Japan, that talks to children about loyalty. Hachi-ko was the family dog of a well known Tokyo University professor who every day met his owner at the train station as he returned home from work. The ritual was observed by passengers for many years as the professor got off the train and warmly greeted his loyal Akita. The poignant scene of a man and his best friend walking into the darkness together after a long day was shared and understood by all. After his owner suffered a stroke at work and died Hachi-ko appeared at the train station every day for nine years waiting for his master to get off the train. Every day Hachi-ko came and waited for his friend. Every day he came, for nine years, until he too died.

It's only natural for us to compare and seek out what is best for our needs. Whether it be price, position, product or indeed people. It's good to have many options. It's good to have choices. But in this life there are a few things that we can't buy and sell. Every now and again our life brings us into contact with other lives, values and people that transcend transactional thinking. They are like Hachi-ko. We remain loyal to them regardless of circumstance, adversity, or the promises of "better". We remain loyal not because we don't appreciate our other options and choices but because we recognize something special. Something rare. Loyalty is a rare and beautiful thing. It's not dead. It's not quaint. It's hard to give and even harder to find. But like anything that is truly rare, and wanted by so many - Loyalty is Priceless.