November 13, 2023
Be the type of person who consistently adds value to the lives of those around you, no matter where you go or what you do.
Let me ask, “At this point in your life, what difference do you want to make? Where do you feel led to add value?”
What’s notable about these questions is that you get to choose. You get to decide the difference you’re being nudged to make and why it matters.
I am a firm believer that life is always presenting us with opportunities. Opportunities to expand. Opportunities to grow. Opportunities to connect. Opportunities to add value - if we’re willing and open to see them, embrace them, and not walk past them.
When I think of adding value and being a difference-maker, three things come to me for us.
The first is: Step out to find out. After college, I moved to Minneapolis and quickly learned how big the new community I moved to was. I had to put energy into making it a “small town,” so I would like it.
This desire led me back to my hometown community of Stanley, ND, and the image of what had been consistently modeled: Get involved. Be helpful. Be genuine in style.
Taking that foundation, I chose to step out to find out. I knew making Minneapolis a small town would not happen by simply wishing it would. I couldn’t just sit in my apartment and think I would meet people. So, I stepped out and got involved. I got involved in a whole smattering of opportunities. And as I put myself out there, I realized point number two.
Our insecurities will block us if we let them. Why? Because when we step out to find out, we’re stepping out of our comfort zone. Often in trembling ways. We’re doing something new and with new people. We may be rejected. We may not know what we’re up to or all the layers of our “yes.” Yet, I learned that when I didn’t let my insecurities have a voice or block me, I embraced the freshness of living alongside new faces. While doing so, I met some incredible people and experienced my new community on various remarkable levels.
This leads me to my third lesson. Only some opportunities were for me; many were for others. I could be a dot connector for someone else by placing myself in opportunities to grow. By being genuine in my style and interested through listening, I learned how to connect people with opportunities meaningfully.
I am often asked to speak on this topic, and as I think about being a difference-maker leader, I wholeheartedly believe that getting involved expands our lives. Every season of life offers something different, and when layered, it multiplies and grows in more depth than width.
With great intentionality and courage, I’ve successfully made a “big city” into a “small town.” I let the significance of my rural roots fashion my attitude and carry my approach and style.
This is true for all of us; when we get involved, our influence expands. Our lives are profoundly multiplied and deepened.
Intentionally Own It Reflection:
Let’s return to my original question, “At this point in your life, what difference do you want to make?” “Where do you feel led to add value?”
When you know your nudge, ask: “What’s my most meaningful step forward?” “How can I count on myself to take it?” When I do, “What sense of gain and fulfillment do I see?”