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.
“๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ฏ, ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ฏ๐บ. ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฅ๐ฐ ๐ช๐ต.”
Then they fall; their backside thuds as it bounces off the floor.
“๐๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ด๐บ! ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ฏ, ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ฏ๐บ. ๐๐ฆ๐ต’๐ด ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐จ๐ข๐ช๐ฏ. ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฅ๐ฐ ๐ช๐ต”
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 “๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต’๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ”, “๐๐ณ๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ด๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ?” and the deep inhale before the dismissive “๐๐ง ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ’๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ, ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ถ๐ค๐ฌ”.
Imagine what could be accomplished if we supported adults the same as the toddler?
๐
๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐ฎ๐ง
– A Hebrew word meaning “๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ, ๐ด๐ช๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ’๐ด ๐ข๐ค๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ช๐ด๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐น๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ”.
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.
