Be The Difference

Every day as I go through the motions of my morning hour long commute to work on auto pilot, as I exit the elevator onto my office floor, one sign greets me with the phrase “Be The Difference.” I’ve seen it countless times over the four years I’ve worked for my organization. It is promoting a new safety reporting system I worked on a couple years ago providing change management support. I’ve thought many times that the phrase would be a good blog newsletter topic, made a note for myself, but other topics always seemed to take priority. However, this week, when seeing that sign again and attending my regular Toastmasters club meeting and listening to speeches from club guests, this topic took on a greater priority for me to write about today.

At the Toastmasters meeting I heard speeches from a retired Army Green Beret Special Forces Operator and a retired Navy senior leader. Both had amazing stories of service and leadership in their past as well as how they are continuing to serve their communities and country currently and being the difference to help others, including suicidal awareness and prevention for currently serving military members and veterans. One gave a memorable speech about helping a young sailor who was struggling. The leader saw potential, and looked beneath the surface to identify the true challenges and be the difference to help that young sailor who now is a thriving Senior Chief Petty Officer and an excellent leader himself.

As we all rush through life focused on our own personal and professional goals, there are moments where it isn’t about us, but how we can be the difference in the lives of someone else. I’ve had moments like that myself where I’ve been in a place and time and took the opportunity to be present and help someone else along their journey and be the difference. Sometimes we get to see the benefits immediately. Helping the elderly woman who lost her phone in the train station and didn’t know how to get her train or what to do next. Or helping the young military veteran trying to get a stand by flight to another city for a very important job interview. Pausing and spending time to help them successfully navigate the stressful travel situation and continue safely on their journey was an opportunity to be the difference and see the results. And other times, taking the time to be the difference for someone else, we may never know the impact or result. However, even if we don’t see it, we’ve still made a difference by positively engaging with them along their journey. And I strongly believe that when we put out that kind of positive energy into the universe, it eventually makes its way back to us when we need it most ourselves.

So, I encourage you to reflect on what it means to you to “be the difference.” When have you been the difference for someone in the past? How did that make you feel afterwards? When has someone been the difference for you? How did it feel then? How might being the difference for others inspire you on your own personal and professional journey?

I’ve written on similar themes in previous posts. But I think this is a message worth repeating. We never know all of the struggles, fears and burdens of those around us. And instead of contributing more, let’s focus on lightening each other’s load we are carrying. Look for ways to be the difference and be open to others who seek to be the difference in your life too, because as always, Your Story Matters.