Have you ever seen a toddler fall over?
That wobbly back-and-forth of the knees, whilst balancing the weight of their head thing whilst they try to find their feet?
Tentatively holding the couch or a parent’s outstretched finger.
Smiling faces all around.
“𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯, 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘺. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵.”
Then they fall; their backside thuds as it bounces off the floor.
“𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘺! 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯, 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘺. 𝘓𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘨𝘰 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵”
Encouragement.
And you know what? They tentatively learn to walk, as everyone cheers them on.
Why do many people lose that as adults?
If you want to be a pilot or an architect or start your own business, you can be met with “𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥”, “𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦?” and the deep inhale before the dismissive “𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬”.
Imagine what could be accomplished if we supported adults the same as the toddler?
𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐮𝐧
– A Hebrew word meaning “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯’𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦”.
That’s what we need more in the world.
That’s why – even if I don’t know you – I’ll be celebrating your new role, your new certification or any other achievement.
Because I want you to learn to walk – and I’m backing you all the way.
Today’s mission – should you choose to accept – is to cheer someone on.
Write a recommendation. Give them a call. Celebrate their successes and their efforts.
Everyone celebrates winners.
Winners celebrate everyone.
