All Things Inspired

Making an impact is about having a strong and lasting effect on the lives of others!

Making an impact is about having a strong and lasting effect on the lives of others, whether it be at work, in your personal life, or as a leader. We ended last week's message by asking the question, "Do you have what it takes to make an impact?" Here's some characteristics to consider in answering that question...

Having clarity of purpose - do you know how you want to make an impact and why?
Put others first - making an impact is primarily about others, not one's own self-interests.
Let your light shine - you can't have a good day with a bad attitude, and you can't have a bad day with a good attitude. Your choice! Share positivity and shine.
Be the leader - have the attitude of leading by serving others.
Initiate activity - off your seat and on your feet! Go help others.
Innovation station - be creative in your thinking. What will be new and impactful?
Be a collaborator - it can be a beautiful thing when you understand it's not just about you doing something. It's about the importance of including others in what you're doing.

In my study of this topic, I ran across something that referred to Impact Mapping. While what I reviewed was geared toward impact in the professional world, such as how a product would impact the end user, I still found the steps to relate to what making an impact would do when we look at how our influence and impact would affect others' lives and personal growth. Here's what that looks like...

Why - why do we want to help others >>>
Who - who can help, or be helped >>>
How - how might others be impacted, or how will it change their behaviors in life? >>>
What - what do others stand to gain from our influence or impact?

So, when you look at some of the characteristics of someone who is impactful and the map of influence, you know that you can answer the question of having what it takes to make an impact with a resounding "yes"!

In last week's article, at the close we asked a second question in preparation for this week. That was what does it take to make an impact? You begin to make an impact when every day you get just a little better than you were the day before. When you strive to be better each day, it all adds up to success. As you build and achieve success and share your story, you can begin to have a positive influence on the lives of others. For you to become impactful to other people, here are six traits to guide your way...

You must believe that what you are doing has meaning! Many people don't believe in meaning and purpose as something to discover or pursue in life. Others believe in a life purpose but won't take the risk to identify it. And then there are those who have the mindset that they can be a positive influence on others. People with a sense of purpose are driven, focused, and committed.
Always commit to continually improving yourself. People who make an impact know that they are not perfect. They understand their knowledge isn't complete, that there are always gaps, biases, limitations, and prejudices, and new ways to improve their expertise.
The power of relationships. Those with positive influence understand the power of relationships, connection, and engaging with others openly. They're not afraid to get out there and connect with others. They build relating skills to push beyond any reluctance to be who they are, and learn how to relate well with others, building mutually supportive relationships that lift both parties to a higher level. They know that positive, supportive, and authentic relationships are the foundational building blocks to anything and everything they want to achieve.
Face challenges head on. When you see difficulties ahead, don't get agitated and disturbed by them. Strive to better understand the challenge, get to the root of the issue, research and understand the contributing factors, and arrive at a workable solution.
View the journey as the goal. Positive influencers don't take shortcuts or go for the quick fix or easy answers. They don't view some arbitrary goal or outcome as a destination, because they believe there is no end; it's all in the journey. It's about what they're learning, experiencing, and building that helps others, and for that, there is no defined end point. They embrace failure more readily than others as "information" that guides them.
Become a mentor. Being someone's mentor is a fantastic opportunity to make an impact, not just for them, but for you as well. Working with someone as their mentor allows you to share your best skills and create a lasting impact. While typical mentors tend to be more experienced in their field or role, anyone can be a mentor because we are all great at something. Just remember, mentoring someone can make an impact on their life.

Every day you can make a positive impact. No matter how great or how small, you really can make a difference. In my life experiences, I've come across basically three types of people; haters, coasters, and lovers. Haters dislike their work, complain bitterly and frequently, as they probably dislike most things in their life. Coasters tolerate their work in pursuit of a paycheck and aren't looking for much more than that out of life. And then there are the lovers. They love their work, value their friendships, and are readily available to help others. They find meaning in what they do and strive to make a difference.

Never underestimate the power of influence and the important difference you can make in every life you touch! For the impact that you make today will most certainly have a powerful and perpetual effect on somebody's tomorrow and beyond. Think about that for a moment. Think about how inspiring that can be. Now go make the impact you only thought you could envision! In fact, our tagline says it all...

Be inspired! Inspire others!