Actually you should do this everyday. It should become a habit. It is so simple that most people do not even think about it. It will make you feel alive and your head will hit the pillow at night with the satisfaction that you did something simple but great today. And you may have changed the world.
But before I tell you what that one thing is, let me tell you 2 stories. And you must read to the end to get to The One Thing.
A Free Coat and a Personal Guided Tour
Last month, I was on a flight from Brisbane to Auckland. I was sitting in the middle seat of a 3 seat wide row. To my right was my beautiful wife staring out at the ocean from her window seat. To my left was a mature gentleman that looked to be in his 70's. I asked him my standard airplane icebreaker question, "you going home or leaving home?”
Two hours later, Theo and I were still chatting about anything and everything before we each decided to shut our eyes to catch a quick nap before we landed. We could still be talking.
I found out that Theo was Dutch and had been to Europe where he was from before he immigrated to New Zealand many years ago. He had also stopped in Brisbane to visit one of his children before he flew back to his home in Picton, New Zealand via Auckland.
But before I tell you what that one thing is, let me tell you 2 stories. And you must read to the end to get to The One Thing.
A Free Coat and a Personal Guided Tour
Last month, I was on a flight from Brisbane to Auckland. I was sitting in the middle seat of a 3 seat wide row. To my right was my beautiful wife staring out at the ocean from her window seat. To my left was a mature gentleman that looked to be in his 70's. I asked him my standard airplane icebreaker question, "you going home or leaving home?”
Two hours later, Theo and I were still chatting about anything and everything before we each decided to shut our eyes to catch a quick nap before we landed. We could still be talking.
I found out that Theo was Dutch and had been to Europe where he was from before he immigrated to New Zealand many years ago. He had also stopped in Brisbane to visit one of his children before he flew back to his home in Picton, New Zealand via Auckland.
Private tour of Picton with my new friend Theo Now here is the really cool part of the story. Picton is a city, well more of a small town, that sits on the north side of the Southern Island of New Zealand. Picton’s claim to fame is that the ferry that connects the Northern and Southern Islands of New Zealand travels between Wellington on the North Island and Picton on the South Island. I knew that we would be traveling on the ferry in about 7 days and I mentioned this to Theo. He insisted that we stop by his home in Picton when we exited the ferry and let him take us on a personal tour of the area. We said yes and we had a great visit with him the afternoon that we arrived in Picton.
But this story gets even better!
But this story gets even better!
During our conversation on the plane, I mentioned to Theo that my wife and I had been traveling for some time and that we really traveled light and did not carry many clothes with us. We were leaving the warm weather of Brisbane and arriving in the cooler climate of New Zealand so we would probably be stopping in one of the local stores and picking up a few supplies - like a coat, hats and gloves!
We sat and talked about some other topics, took our naps and then before we exited the plane he asked, “did you say you were going to buy a coat?”
I answered “yes.”
We sat and talked about some other topics, took our naps and then before we exited the plane he asked, “did you say you were going to buy a coat?”
I answered “yes.”
Staying warm in Rivendell He told me that he had a coat he wanted to give me and I responded great.
I am always ready and willing to accept a blessing.
I thought he meant that I could get a coat from him when we arrived in Picton a few days later. So I told him that I would probably still need to get some cold weather gear to wear for the next 7 days.
It always helps to clarify things.
He pointed to the overhead bin and said the coat was up there and it was brand new. He had just been given the coat from his family in Brisbane and he said I could have it. I did not argue.
I told him I would wear it for 3 months while I was enjoying the New Zealand winter and then I would donate it to someone before I left the country. We have done that in multiple locations as we have traveled and it is a great way to spread the blessings around. And there is no doubt that those seeds come up in places like New Zealand.
I was excited and warm as I walked off the plane in my incredible fighter jacket from my new friend from Picton, Theo. My wife and I shared the coat as we camped for 12 days and we said a prayer of thanks for Theo every time we put it on.
I am always ready and willing to accept a blessing.
I thought he meant that I could get a coat from him when we arrived in Picton a few days later. So I told him that I would probably still need to get some cold weather gear to wear for the next 7 days.
It always helps to clarify things.
He pointed to the overhead bin and said the coat was up there and it was brand new. He had just been given the coat from his family in Brisbane and he said I could have it. I did not argue.
I told him I would wear it for 3 months while I was enjoying the New Zealand winter and then I would donate it to someone before I left the country. We have done that in multiple locations as we have traveled and it is a great way to spread the blessings around. And there is no doubt that those seeds come up in places like New Zealand.
I was excited and warm as I walked off the plane in my incredible fighter jacket from my new friend from Picton, Theo. My wife and I shared the coat as we camped for 12 days and we said a prayer of thanks for Theo every time we put it on.
We All Choked Up When She Told Us About Her Husband
Fast forward to this month. After camping and traveling we are now settling in to a small town in the central area of the South Island. After a few weeks of rest and isolation and work, we were almost startled by a knock at the door.
Trish from next door was stopping by to say hello to her new neighbors, even if we were only going to be there for a few months. We invited her in and had a nice chat about the neighborhood, the weather, potatoes (Kiwis love their potatoes) and her children that are scattered all over the country.
I had noticed that she had a sign at the front of her house that said "Woodturning." My guess was that her husband did wood work and had a lathe and other woodworking tools on his property. As I had passed the house on one of my jogs, I even thought that I should stop in and visit and possibly learn a few things about wood working. Or woodturning as they call it here in New Zealand.
I am always wanting to ask questions to keep a conversation moving, so I asked her about the sign in the front of the house.
She paused and said that the woodturning shop was her late husbands. She went on to say that congestive heart failure had caused his death earlier this year. It was very obvious that she had a special relationship that had been cut way too short. Even if they had been married for half a century.
The air in the room just seemed to be heavier than it was earlier. And I really just ached to give her a hug.
She told us about a chair that he had started making for her before he died. The chair was designed to match another chair in their home. He only had time to finish 2 legs and she commented that should could not get rid of the chair legs that he had carefully turned on his lathe. But she did not know what to do with only 2 legs. We all forced smiles as she shared the story, but it seemed as if a sudden dust had blown in our eyes as they welled up. And it felt like I had a lump the size of a baseball in my throat. My bottom lip may have even quivered a bit.
It was that moment in a conversation where you are not really sure what to say next.
She told me that I could come visit the woodturning shop anytime. She had not changed anything since her husband had died. Had not even touched it.
We let her know that she could call on us if she needed anything. I volunteered to move firewood or help clean up and organize if she decided to tackle that task.
I touched her on the shoulder as she walked out the door, not really knowing if a hug would be appropriate. It was the only way I knew to convey my sincere grief for her loss.
After we closed the door, I turned to my wife and gave her a hug. A real hug that let’s someone know that you are thankful that they are in your life.
These are not just stories to entertain. I told them to make a point. To show how you and I can do one thing to change the world.
Now that I have your attention and have softened you up, are you ready for the secret to change the world?
Here it is:
Get out of your comfort zone and have a meaningful face to face conversation with a complete and total stranger today.
And then do the same thing tomorrow and the next day and the next day......
Facebook and Twitter and Instagram do not count. Reading or writing a blog post does not count. Hanging out with the same people every day does not count. Find someone you have never met before. Or let someone find you.
Look someone in the eyes, shake their hand, give them a pat on the back, ask questions about who they are, give them an encouraging word and let them know that they matter.
John Lennon asked us to imagine. Imagine what the world would be like if 1 million people decide to meet someone new everyday and look that person in the eyes and have a real life conversation? It all starts with you.
Theo and Trish impacted my life. I can only hope that I impacted their lives also.
Go change the world today.
And share any cool stories you have about meeting complete strangers in the comments section below. I would love to hear your story.
Fast forward to this month. After camping and traveling we are now settling in to a small town in the central area of the South Island. After a few weeks of rest and isolation and work, we were almost startled by a knock at the door.
Trish from next door was stopping by to say hello to her new neighbors, even if we were only going to be there for a few months. We invited her in and had a nice chat about the neighborhood, the weather, potatoes (Kiwis love their potatoes) and her children that are scattered all over the country.
I had noticed that she had a sign at the front of her house that said "Woodturning." My guess was that her husband did wood work and had a lathe and other woodworking tools on his property. As I had passed the house on one of my jogs, I even thought that I should stop in and visit and possibly learn a few things about wood working. Or woodturning as they call it here in New Zealand.
I am always wanting to ask questions to keep a conversation moving, so I asked her about the sign in the front of the house.
She paused and said that the woodturning shop was her late husbands. She went on to say that congestive heart failure had caused his death earlier this year. It was very obvious that she had a special relationship that had been cut way too short. Even if they had been married for half a century.
The air in the room just seemed to be heavier than it was earlier. And I really just ached to give her a hug.
She told us about a chair that he had started making for her before he died. The chair was designed to match another chair in their home. He only had time to finish 2 legs and she commented that should could not get rid of the chair legs that he had carefully turned on his lathe. But she did not know what to do with only 2 legs. We all forced smiles as she shared the story, but it seemed as if a sudden dust had blown in our eyes as they welled up. And it felt like I had a lump the size of a baseball in my throat. My bottom lip may have even quivered a bit.
It was that moment in a conversation where you are not really sure what to say next.
She told me that I could come visit the woodturning shop anytime. She had not changed anything since her husband had died. Had not even touched it.
We let her know that she could call on us if she needed anything. I volunteered to move firewood or help clean up and organize if she decided to tackle that task.
I touched her on the shoulder as she walked out the door, not really knowing if a hug would be appropriate. It was the only way I knew to convey my sincere grief for her loss.
After we closed the door, I turned to my wife and gave her a hug. A real hug that let’s someone know that you are thankful that they are in your life.
These are not just stories to entertain. I told them to make a point. To show how you and I can do one thing to change the world.
Now that I have your attention and have softened you up, are you ready for the secret to change the world?
Here it is:
Get out of your comfort zone and have a meaningful face to face conversation with a complete and total stranger today.
And then do the same thing tomorrow and the next day and the next day......
Facebook and Twitter and Instagram do not count. Reading or writing a blog post does not count. Hanging out with the same people every day does not count. Find someone you have never met before. Or let someone find you.
Look someone in the eyes, shake their hand, give them a pat on the back, ask questions about who they are, give them an encouraging word and let them know that they matter.
John Lennon asked us to imagine. Imagine what the world would be like if 1 million people decide to meet someone new everyday and look that person in the eyes and have a real life conversation? It all starts with you.
Theo and Trish impacted my life. I can only hope that I impacted their lives also.
Go change the world today.
And share any cool stories you have about meeting complete strangers in the comments section below. I would love to hear your story.
Tim Winders has over 25 years experience as a business owner, entrepreneur, coach and consultant. He founded Accelerate Growth NOW to provide business owners with the training, coaching and resources to double, triple and 10X their business. To learn more and to claim your FREE business growth resources, visit AccelerateGrowthNOW.com.
