A Few Years Ago
Many years ago, maybe more, a few years after I was in college anyways, I ran into an old friend I hadn’t seen in about 5 years. I had met him when I was in high school, knew who he was but never got to know personally till my summer before college started. I remember that it was right around the time I had read the book called Psycho Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz.
Cybernetics
This 1960’s classic had at the time, a large impact on my life and even before college started I was earning some pretty good money, well more than I’ve ever had up to that time. It gave me perspective and at the time I was able to easily convey and teach some of the principals in the book. This individual didn’t know I had learned most of this from a book but I did talk about the concepts in it and after five years after I spent time with him, he told me how what I talked about had changed his life. He said he changed his life around, got focused, got rid of some of the demons that held him back, things were going good, and now had a chance to thank me. There was one problem…. Ah… what did I tell him five years ago? Even as I write I’m not sure. But I’m sure it was along the lines of that there are always going to be things that no matter how much influence you might have you have, you really have no control over.
Letting Go
Now this certainly sounds defeating, but what he then told me is that once he knew he had no control he learned to let it go. He learned to control his stress. He didn’t get mad at things. He made a conscience decision to ENJOY life, and at the time he was happy, optimistic about his future, and looked forward to tackling anything that got in his way. I eventually fell into back into the trap of the 40-40 plan (40 hours a week for 40 years), and commenced to go to college. I was re-conditioned to what we are taught where getting a good education, then job, would make us happy. I later found I would like to learn the lesson back from him but I haven’t seen him in 30 years. I suspect he took what he had learned from me and took action. If I only would have…
Today
Fast forward to today, now even though he was just one person I knew those many years ago, we had made differences in each others lives. His experience with me at the time, to me, was inconsequential. He was just another person I met, spent a little time with, and we then went our own ways. I really have no idea whatever became of him, nor me to him. Back in those days we where limited by the number of people we could meet. Of course this is much more in a larger city than a rural city but you were limited by the physical ability to personally meet. Enter the age of the internet. We are going to have the possibility of not only meeting people from our own local locations but globally as well. You have the ability to meet new people who you can influence with your knowledge and experience and likewise with theirs.
Questions
So the only questions are how many new people are you going to meet online? How many are you going to influence? How many are going to influence you? Are you going to share something life changing with them? Who’s the next consequential meeting going to be with? What is the message you want to share?
Chris. This is a good post and it makes me reflect on the people who have had a positive impact on my life and helped me to establish goals. You are doing a great job of helping others online to succeed. Thanks for all the help you have given me.
Keep up the good work and enjoy the rewards you will definitely receive. Beth
.-= Beth Hawkins´s last blog ..Test Post =-.
Hi Chis,
I really enjoyed your story, and love the message that you conveyed to your friend. Isn’t it amazing how we can touch each others lives without ever knowing the impact we’ve made?
It reminds me that we need to always focus on what we’re putting out there in the universe. If it’s all good, we can only make a positive difference
BTW, I love the slideshow at the top of your blog that displays post excerpts. You are the master!
Have a great night my friend!
Kathy J
.-= Kathy Jodrey´s last blog ..Do You Have Value to Give to Others? =-.
Hi Chris.
Great post. It’s kind of like the butterfly effect on a personal level. We have no way of knowing how we will affect anyone’s life. So the more you know and give, the more beneficial impact you will have.
Thanks
Chris, I assume you learned the term “consequential strangers” from reading (or reading about) my new book. Thanks for spreading the word. This is SUCH an important concept–to remember to value ALL our relationships, even those we take for granted.
Thanks!
Melinda Blau
co-author, “Consequential Strangers: The Power of People Who Don’t Seem to Matter…But Really Do.”
Melinda, I’m sorry I didn’t read your book, but plan too. I may have seen the title and thought it was attention grabbing. I’ve contemplated the concept quite a bit and even as I’ve been meeting new people from all over the world, I’ve been reaching into my past and letting some people I knew very casually or short term, that to this day, value the brief relationship. Some I’ve found, some are dead, and some probably don’;t know me from a hole in the ground, but I plan to keep on trying.
So to Mr. Robey, my earth science teacher in Bismarck ND in 8th grade, I thank you. I learned so much back then I skated through 3-4 college courses and learned how observation and research in science was significant. This wasn’t the modern day earth science that has evolved into a political agenda. To Mr. Maus, my 9th grade algebra teacher, who had us solving and graphing quadratic equations. When finished we had a Charles Schultz picture of Snoopy. I trust today the same 9th grade class would be an honors or advanced course. To Luther Allison, a Chicago blues musician who played and ran with the likes of Carlos Santana and the Rolling Stones. After talking with him for almost 15 minutes one day before one of his gigs in 1975, I figured I’d start playing the guitar. Almost 2 years later I saw him again and he remembered my name.
Yes Melinda, it is an important concept to remember.
Chris, I’m so happy that the concept resonates with you–and others who’ve read your post. I’m happy to report that the book was named on of the best of 2009 and is in great company:
http://bit.ly/54DO6A
Happy Holidays all. This post was a great gift!
.-= Melinda Blau´s last blog ..CS as a Secret Weapon =-.
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