Circle of influence

A random desire to be famous hit me today. As an introvert, you can imagine the other half of my brain about panicked at the thought! Still, my thoughts began filling with questions. Why famous? Famous for what? You really want that kind of attention? We'll summarize the rest saying they fall under these questions ;)

Turns out to be more of a desire to influence others. To say something know others want to hear it. The cheesiest examples are the items on ebay that famous people have touched. I know there are many reasons people actually want to be famous, but that was the desire I found filling my emotions. Maybe some will even admit that it is appealing. Honestly I know it comes from my current situation. As a single mom I speak all day but it feels like only 10% is heard. 'No you do not get to just pull her off the counter' and plenty that were simply ignored. That is life, so back to the point of influence.

One of the things I have on my plate is related to a teacher that has been working for a few decades. YES I mean decades. He pushed me in high school to do better by pushing my English usage. There was more, so much more to his teaching, and it has come to a point where people banded together on social media sites to honor him. Words were put to actions and he was very much against this. He does not want the fame, the attention, or even the fuss of a celebration. The circle of influence of this teacher is huge and he simply invested in those around him. Of the few memories I have from high school, many of them include his class and that includes feel frustrated trying to put strings of words together. One paper was about how I was struggling to write and the anger I felt at the lack of words.

Part of me thinks that his teaching opened the door for writing as a passion in my life, and I do not think he knows it. Even so, his life is a great example of how the famous are not the biggest influences on others and that is humbling. The everyday acts given with passion are the ones that have the biggest ripple. The volunteer who genuinely cares. The passionate teacher who wants you to do better. The gas station attendant who always tries to make sure you smile before you leave. So today I try re-evaluate how I am investing in others.

((Source))

This is kind of an extension of Stephen R Covey and his habit breakdown. He discusses circle of influence but the focus is on things you can control. I argue that the ripple you make in life is going to be localized based on whom you know. If you were the wisest person and you isolated yourself on an island, no one would necessarily know of your wisdom. King Solomon was known for his wisdom and riches. He gave his wisdom out freely and other people spread word about how it influenced them. It was not him making flyers about how great he found himself. How great do others find you? Should you base your life on other people's opinions? No. Rather when you interact with other people doing what you are passionate about, do they want to come back? Do they see the genuine enjoyment and concern?