It doesn't matter what you do for a living, it only matters
who you are!
This is a common enough phrase but let's examine it more
closely. So many of us get caught up in being validated by
other people's opinions that we often ignore potential
professions because they might not be "good enough."
What is good enough? Is it a particular title or salary or is
it a deep satisfaction with who you are and what you do? How
often do you judge people by what they do and thus limit
yourself to potential dream job opportunities and prevent
yourself from accepting them for who they are?
I have a friend who owns a multi-million dollar business. He
made the business so successful purely by just being himself
and how he interacts with every person he meets. He is truly
one of the most endearing, genuine and emotionally sensitive
people you could ever meet. When you speak with him, he gives
you unspoken permission to truly be yourself with all of your
emotions, feelings and sensitive qualities.
I have seen him interact with people for only 10 minutes and
these people wind up sharing their life stories with him even
though they've just met him. Once he was on an airplane and
struck up a conversation with the man sitting next to him.
This man was a pilot from another airline and was, at first
glance, a stereotypical "macho tough guy" who was certainly
not the emotional type. My friend began speaking with him and
by the end of the flight, the pilot was not only sharing parts
of his life he had never shared before, but was actually
crying in my friend's arms!
I've spent many weekends and days with him and I am always
astonished how deeply people are touched by him because he
sees all of who they are. Almost every person who meets my
friend actually experiences their true selves by his seeing
who they are and all that they most want to be. What a gift to
give yourself and others!
I hope after sharing this that you want to meet this wonderful
man and want to know what he does. He's not a therapist, nor
corporate mogul? Is he a salesman? No, my friend is a pool
cleaner.
How much would you have wanted to meet this multi-millionaire
had I told you his profession at the beginning? Being a pool
cleaner isn't a validated profession in many people's eyes and
most of us would have even gone so far as to refer to him as
"only" a pool cleaner.
Now let's look at a real-world consequence of looking down on
someone just because of what they do. During the air traffic
controllers strike of the 1980's Terry Paulson, author of the
book "They Shoot Managers, Don't They?" watched an irate
executive belittle a baggage handler that was supposedly
moving a little bit too slowly. When Paulson tried to extend
his sympathy, the baggage handler immediately shrugged off the
incident, saying, "Don't worry, I've gotten even."
After a brief pause, Paulson, "What do you mean." The baggage
boy said with a smile on his face, "He's going to Chicago,
but his luggage is going to Japan."
I'd like to ask everyone reading this to do the following:
* When you meet people, be concerned with who "they" are and
not what "they" do.
* Realize YOU have a powerful influence on how you treat
everyone you meet.
* Open your eyes to new perspectives: it doesn't matter what
you do for a living, it only matters who you are! Accept
others for who they are.
* Allow the person you are speaking with to come alive by
realizing how incredible they truly are.
* Be the first one to share your emotions and feelings with
others!
* Allow all of yourself to come forward so you can shine your
own light on others.
* Bring your authentic self to each and every moment of your
life.
Most importantly don't judge others by what they do. Remember,
everyone has a "pool cleaner" or a "baggage handler" inside of
them or you might just find out the hard way what the Bible
refers to as the "least among you all, the same shall be
great."
"We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while
others judge us by what we have already done."
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
© 2002 Joel Garfinkle—All rights reserved.
