Success is a Chain Reaction
Chain Reaction - A series of events, each caused by the previous one.
I recently explored the idea that success is an outreach of love. When we help someone, share our experiences, or pass along a valuable resource, we start our own chain reaction. Some reactions are short lived, while others keep going. We are all participating in a massive chain reaction. The interactions we have with each other leave an impression that can last a lifetime, and beyond.
As we live our daily lives, we learn from experiences, we meet new people, we discover new ideas; all of these things influence our thoughts and actions. I think of all the great quotes that we have, all the great books, ideas encapsulated in words that create chain reactions that last for centuries.
Once we reach a certain degree of success, or personal growth, or maybe a certain age, there seems to be a natural progression of motivations. As the sun rises, and seasons change, so comes a strong desire to devote more of our attention to reaching beyond our family, friends, and coworkers.
One exercise we can do to keep this in our consciousness is think about all the people that made a positive contribution to our lives. It might be one simple thing they did, but it made a lasting impression. If we think about these people with gratitude, if we still make decisions and still take actions because of these people, this is a chain reaction that is still very much alive.
John Chapman was an American legend while he was still alive. His ways were kind and generous. He was a leader in conservation and also a missionary for his church denomination. You might have heard of him. He was given the nickname Johnny Appleseed.
Success is an outreach. Maybe we are even missionaries of success. Like Johnny, we plant seeds wherever we go. We have something valuable to give (a smile, a book, a compliment, encouragement).
Keep the chain reaction going and growing.
To your success!