Albert Einstein once said: “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” For me, this is such an important message that I may return to it in future blogs.
When I was about 12 years old—roughly 67 years ago—my 89-year old grandmother lived with us. I liked her a lot, and not just because she did some of the chores that would otherwise have fallen on me. She was a giving and caring person who brought added value to our home.
I still remember the day she was drying the dishes I had washed, and she dropped a plate to the floor. It was her second shattered plate in a week. A tear ran down her cheek as she put her towel down: “Now I’m of no value.” She walked into her bedroom and died several weeks later.
The experience affected me deeply, and I never forgot the lesson. I believe that being of value is an important personal need, and it comes into play in a variety of successful human ventures—businesses, family life, friendships, organizations, sports teams, etc.
We all know people who slide through life making little or no effort to add value to their world. Their goal is to “take” or “use” rather than to “give”, and they tend to live difficult, lonely, and unhappy lives. It is the “givers” who enjoy happy, successful lives.
Most successful businesses follow a business model that is designed to be of value to their customers and to their communities. Every time I visit one of these businesses, I leave with a satisfied feeling that I mattered to them. I received value from them. In my experience, any other business model is simply not sustainable over a period of time.
When I observe Congress and state legislatures in action, I see too little effort in bringing value to the governing process. Too many members appear to be in it for what they can take out. This is a recipe for disaster for our country. A consciousness of adding value may be the only way that our nation will work its way out of its current predicaments.
