Make the Difference

Make the Difference
Our World is dynamic, fast paced, stressful, competitive, aggressive, intimidating, materialistic, superficial, superfluous, contrived, hypocritical, cynical, opportunistic, and yet it is such a wonderful place to be in. Have we all wondered , at some point in time atleast, as to why our lives are so stressful. The possible answer to this is that we “ never stop for people” and never ever think of “making a difference” not only to our own lives but also others.’
Can we remember as to when was the last time that we ever said “good morning and how are you” to either the cab driver who picks us up in the morning or the elevator operator, or the person who cleans our desk every night after we leave our offices, or the security guard at our workplace, or the conservancy worker who keeps our streets and roads clean and clear of all the garbage that we dispose? We tend to take all these people for granted and never ever pause for a moment to even smile at them…They are as human as we all are..in flesh and blood. There is dignity in what they are doing, for without them our lives would be even more stressful and cause a lot of anxiety.
It is a Monday morning, the beginning of our work week , we walk into our bank in a terrible hurry and demand expeditious service from the clerk at the desk, sadly we don’t even know their names, without even stopping for a moment to greet and wish them a wonderful day or ask as to how was their weekend. Notwithstanding our indifference to them, we want them to perform. And when they don’t we get grumpy and find them annoying….
Welcome to our World… a World that exists because we think that we exist… never realizing that we are only a tiny sum in that whole.. As much as we desire others to “stop “ and listen to us, take care of our needs, notice our mood swings, our need to have space, our urgency in getting a job done or reaching a destination, and our hunger for more and more in life and out of life, isn’t it time that we did the same .
Notwithstanding the above, our World is still beautiful because there are many who “Make all the Difference” to the lives of many. Making a difference is not a prerogative of a chosen few in this world,. It does not require us to stretch ourselves too far. As long as we STOP for people around us, we will make the difference.
Zig Zigler , the legendary sales trainer, has always advised people to face people , for as he rightly says “if you cannot face people, even if they are total strangers, you cannot face the world and you cannot win”. For instance let us look at the “elevator syndrome”, where the moment the door opens we all get in and show our backs to people, we never face each other. Make a beginning and start facing people and learn to greet them. For sometime everyone will think that you have flipped and may even be looked upon as being annoying. But over time you make the difference…. The elevator passenger is no longer a stranger… they become your buddies.
Does it take too much of an effort to say “ it’s a great day, good morning how are you doing” when you pick up the telephone than just mumble something mundane . Let the other person know that you are having a great day and wish the same for them and see the impact that you make.
Learn to greet the grumpy , irritable executive at the customer service desk and enquire as to how has the day been, bingo the executive will run a mile to get things done for you.
Making a difference in our everyday lives does not require us to be super humans… all it takes is a a gesture and a willingness to STOP , as everyone is as human as we are.