Increase Your Difference-Making

This is a story that was recently shared with me, and is courtesy of Marc Chernoff. It reminds me that each of us, in our own unique way, is making a difference.

Every Sunday morning, I take a light jog around a park near my home. 

There's a lake located in one corner of the park. Each time I jog by this lake, I see the same elderly woman sitting at the water's edge with a small metal cage beside her.

This past Sunday my curiosity got the better of me, so I stopped jogging and walked over. 

As I got closer, I realized that the metal cage was in fact a small trap. There were three turtles, unharmed, slowly walking around the base. The woman had a fourth turtle in her lap that she was carefully scrubbing with a spongy brush.

"Hello," I said. "I see you here every Sunday morning. If you don't mind my nosiness, I'd love to know what you're doing with these turtles."

She smiled. "I'm cleaning off their shells," she replied. "Anything on a turtle's shell, like algae or scum, reduces the turtle's ability to absorb heat and impedes its ability to swim. It can also corrode and weaken the shell over time."

"Wow! That's really nice of you!" I exclaimed. 

She went on: "I spend a couple of hours each Sunday morning relaxing by this lake and helping these little guys out. It's my own strange way of making a difference."

"But don't most freshwater turtles live their whole lives with algae and scum hanging from their shells?" I asked.

"Yep, sadly, they do," she replied.

I scratched my head.

"Well, don't you think your time could be better spent some other way? I mean, I think your efforts are kind and all, but there are fresh water turtles living in lakes all around the world. And 99% of these turtles don't have kind people like you to help them clean off their shells. So, no offense… but how exactly are your localized efforts here truly making a difference?"

The woman giggled aloud. She then looked down at the turtle in her lap, scrubbed the last piece of algae from its shell, and said...

"If this little guy could talk, he'd tell you I just made all the difference in the world." 

Would you love to be making a greater difference with your business and in the world? I invite you to join my Mastermind group that is designed to move your business forward. During the mastermind, you will be brainstorming solutions for your most pressing problem. You will leave feeling inspired, motivated, and with a set of action steps that can take your business to the next level.

Sign-up now as space is limited - only 4 seats remain. For more information, click here.

To your success,

Cyn