Steve Pemberton, author of A Chance in the World, uses an interesting metaphor for being the change we want to see happen at work, home and everywhere in between. He talks about becoming a human lighthouse. Referencing someone who made a difference in our lives, he reminds us that we have the same opportunity, not to be perfect (way too much pressure for that) but to just remember how important a kindness or a smile of encouragement can be to someone in the dark.
The lighthouse theory made me think of a question I often ask participants in my programs. “How many teachers have inspired you from kindergarten through graduate school?” Invariably I get answers of two or three. And I ask the same question about bosses with the same answers. People are hungry for inspiration, motivation and purpose, and when we take a few seconds to be their light, it can start an epidemic of positivity. Love the idea, don’t you?
