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Even when things seem hopeless — you make a difference

Do you ever wonder, “How can I make a difference when so many things around me seem out of my control?” An hour spent perusing print and online news media or even attending some organizational planning meetings would lead us to believe that all hope is lost and that the good in the world (and in government and business) is in danger of being overtaken by greed, ignorance and stupidity. Not a pretty picture!
Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote that “evil is a force that coexists with good and that functions to shape the path that good takes to advance.” This is consistent with the concept of the oneness of good and evil — a principal that states that good and evil are not separate and distinct, but are inherent in all phenomena. In other words, each of us possesses the potential for both good and evil.

This battle between good and evil is not a recent occurrence. It has been around for many thousands of years. There have always been people with more and people with less — people who have acted out of compassion and those who have not. As humans being, we have a choice whether to be overwhelmed by the negativity in the world or to use it to motivate ourselves to create value in our everyday circumstances. This definitely includes the workplace!

Yes, it’s difficult to have hope for the future when we are bombarded by so much negative news and might be surrounded by negative people. Clearly, a single individual can create enormous pain and suffering. But, the actions of one person can also make a very positive difference in the world. We can’t predict the potential impact of an encouraging message or a helping hand. But, it is often quite profound. Let’s each do our best to act with compassion, remaining confident that our individual efforts are making a difference. It’s not a sprint – it’s a marathon.

Mike Lisagor founded Celerity Works in 1999 to help industry & government executives accelerate and manage growth. He can be reached at [email protected] or at www.celerityworks.com.

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