December 28th, 2012
Holiday Reflections and the Passion of Impact
I woke up in rural Wisconsin on Christmas morning, when I peeked out the window of my mother in-law’s home it was -7 degrees on the thermometer. I grew up in rural Wisconsin-that is how it is supposed to be on Christmas morning. What do I mean by rural? Well driving the last 7 miles on a twisting county road during a blizzard means no plowing, drifting snow and no idea actually where the road was-thankfully I had rented a 4-wheel drive Ford Escape-Rural also means no cell phone coverage or email connections unless I drove 15 miles to a McDonalds to find a wireless connection!
But what rural really means? Is time to talk to my 89 year mother-in-law recovering from knee replacement surgery. Every morning I would wake and the coffee would be ready, a Danish on a plate and we would sit in our chairs, watch TV or she would read a daily devotional and we would talk-just good conversation, until she might doze off. In the afternoon it might be time for a nap or later in the day I would drive to the local small town (pop 268) bar and order pizza or sandwiches for dinner. While I waited I would sip a beer and chat with the one or two folks at the bar about the upcoming Packer game. On two days, I went for a walk, it had gotten up to 20 degrees and the snow was still crunchy but the air-on my- was crisp, clear, almost light. If you have not felt that kind of Wisconsin fresh air you are missing something in your life, I had forgotten what it does to your nose and lungs-it is a cleansing experience. As I trudged down the street the people in the few cars that went by waved as if they would know me, it is what you do in small towns. One day, I walked into the Pigeon Falls, WI meat market to buy “meatball mix and lefse (Norwegian tortilla’s)” and the owner came up to me and said; “your Thoreson right?, I saw you on Facebook!”. Amazing…
It was a quiet few days to reflect re-unite with family and friends, share laughs, stories and end with warm hugs and big smiles. It is where I come from.
There were other experiences as well, but what I returned with, is a continued reinforcement of the blessings we have and knowing that many others in this world don’t have. I have a continued commitment to do what I can to help others improve their lives and inspire them to succeed.
- In a recent speech I talked about the impact others had on my life, but the reality I have found is the more you impact the lives of others, the more personally successful you will be.
I closed that program with the following comments:
“These 3 little words are the secret to success. They are the difference between average people and top people in most companies. The top people always do what I expected…and then some…
They are thoughtful of others; they are considerate and kind… and then some…
They met their obligations and responsibilities fairly and squarely… and then some…
They are good friends and helpful neighbors… and then some….
They can be counted on in an emergency … and then some…
I am thankful for people like this, for they make the world move livable. Their spirit of service is summed up on these little words… and then some…
I challenged everyone to focus on making 2013 a great year by impacting the lives of others—and then some.
You might enjoy the following video: The Passion of Impact
http://www.acumenmgmt.com/KeninAction123
What is your commitment to impact the lives of others in 2013?
Ken Thoreson “operationalizes” sales management systems and processes that pull revenue out of the doldrums into the fresh zone. During the past 15 years, our consulting, advisory, and platform services have illuminated, motivated, and rejuvenated the sales efforts for partners throughout North America.
Ken provides Keynotes, consulting services and products designed to improve business performance. Ken@AcumenMgmt.com www.AcumenManagement.com
December 31st, 2012 at 5:01 pm
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