It Starts With You
My third-grade teacher, Mrs. Koch, had a mantra, “If it is to be, it’s up to me.”
My ninth-grade basketball coach, Coach Topping, used to yell, “What are you waiting for McBride? Dribble, pivot, pass or shoot. You’ve got the ball—make your move!”
My mom never told me what to do, but when I asked for advice, she would often reply with questions like, “If not now, then when? If not you, then who?”
My teacher, coach and mom all taught me a valuable lesson—making a difference starts with me. It was true for me, and it was also true for Ernie Johnson, a sports broadcaster who adopted a Romanian orphan, Michael. As the story goes, told by Ernie himself, when the nurse handed baby Michael to the Johnson family, she deemed him “no good,” and he was later diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. In that moment, the Johnsons made a choice that aligned with their values and several years later, Michael would go on to make a big impact in their community (watch story here ). You have the same power to make a difference in your communities, workplaces and homes. It may not look like adopting a child (or passing a ball), but it does start with focusing on your values, engaging your mindset and making choices that align with your values. Making a difference starts with you.
FOCUS ON YOUR VALUES
How do we live life aligned with the things we most value? What are the things we value? For me, I value my family, my health and helping others. Is how I’m spending my time a reflection of these values? Sometimes it is and sometimes it is not, but asking myself the question helps me calibrate and refocus how I prioritize my time.
Take a few moments to think about what is most important to you. What do you value? How well do your words, thoughts and actions align with those values? Once you figure out what is important to you, focus on ways you can improve and enrich those areas of your life.
HAVE A “GET TO” MINDSET
Ernie Johnson says he has a “get to” job, not a “got to” job. He is not just going to work because he has to. Instead, he is excited that he gets to do his job every day and help others shine. Your mindset can drive your success, give you perspective and be a powerful motivator to achieve your goals.
What is the state of your mindset? Is it prepared to help you make choices that align with your values? What is one thing you can do each day to shift your mindset from “I have to do this,” to “I get to do this?” Find something you can do—whether it is listening to music, volunteering, meditating, working out or something else—to get your mind back on track and focused on what is important.
ALIGN YOUR CHOICES WITH WHAT MATTERS TO YOU
Finding ways to shift your mindset and refocus on what you value will allow you to make wise choices in life. Ernie Johnson believes everyone has value. Because he knows what he values and has the right mindset, Johnson made the intentional choice to bring Michael home even though he was “no good.” His choice created a positive ripple effect throughout his community. His greatest power was the power to choose, and the same is true for us.
Do the ways you choose to spend your time, where you spend it and who you spend it with align with your values? How does your mindset affect those choices? What kind of personal or professional choices have made an impact on who you are today? Making choices is rarely easy, but if you focus on what you value most and approach your decision with the right mindset, your choices can make a meaningful difference.
If you want to get a good look at the most influential person in your life, all you have to do is look in the mirror. It is your life, and it starts with you. Remember, we “get to” do this thing called life, so go out and make it happen!