Understanding Your Impact

You are literally changing the world every day!

This is something that we don’t think about every time. We tend to forget that our smallest actions or inactions change the world and people around us; either for the better or worse. I’m not being dramatic right now and I have a story.

Recently, I ran into someone in Lagos and the look on his face suggested that he knew who I was. I couldn’t place his face but I started smiling in response and then asked him if we have met before. He was surprised that I didn’t remember him but then he went ahead to tell me how I made an impact on him.

Turns out that we went to the same University and during our undergraduate years…eons ago, I complimented him on the shorts he was wearing at a sporting event. What I didn’t know was that he had a huge insecurity about his legs and the jersey shorts which he had to wear for sports that day that I paid him the compliment made him really uncomfortable. He said that I paid him a compliment without noticing his insecurity and that made him to start thinking that maybe his legs weren’t that bad after all. He started to wear more shorts after that day and people didn’t seem to mind his legs at all.

Note that a simple mindless compliment on my part literally changed something in an absolute stranger. It was a meaningless moment for me but he will always have a story that involves me….and I am so happy it is a positive one.

This story is a very ordinary one but remember that I’ve only set out to remind you that you do change the world even with the smallest actions or inaction. For example, we now have a world where my friend can wear shorts confidently because I paid him a compliment! Imagine what the supposedly big decisions do the world around you.

Being aware of the influence and the impact you have on others can help create a better life for you and the people around you. Understanding your impact on others is a corollary to emotional intelligence which helps you navigate the social environment and direct your footprint here on earth.