Make a Difference!

What does it mean to make a difference?
This phrase usually implies having an impact on something for good. But have you ever thought about the fact that you make a difference no matter what you do? No matter what you do, you make a difference in either a positive or a negative way. When you passed that person on the sidewalk and said, “Hey!” or when you stayed after class to really listen to a friend’s problem, you made a positive difference. When you ignored someone you felt like you should talk to, or neglected a problem you should resolve, you made a negative difference.

My challenge is this: make a positive difference every chance you get! You never know when the two minutes you spend talking to someone is really going to encourage them at a difficult time. You never know when a “Good job!” will make someone’s day and keep them smiling for hours.

During spring break, I went to Washington, D.C. and attended a political conference with over 6,000 people. The day the Vice-President spoke, security was very tight, and I noticed one security officer all by himself trying to direct hundreds of complaining and impatient people. No one seemed to listen to him, and as he yelled over the crowd attempting to manage the flow of traffic, his facial expression said, “I hate my job, and I’ll be glad when this is over.” When I reached him in line, I said, “Thank you. You’re doing a good job.” The immediate change in his expression surprised me. He cracked a quick smile and his eyes showed a sign of relief. I can’t remember exactly what he said to me, but it was as if he was thinking, “I am doing a good job. My job’s important, and someone appreciates what I’m doing.”

No doubt you have either encouraged someone along the same lines or been encouraged by someone in a similar way, and you know the positive effect kind words can have on someone. In summary, stay conscious of what kind of difference you are making at TTU. Is it positive or negative? Share a smile. Say, “Hey, how are you?” to someone you haven’t talked to very much. One of the great things about our “family sized student body” is exactly that- we are like a family, but we can also improve so much more.

Don’t believe the lie that a positive attitude isn’t important. How many people see your attitude on your face every day? Do you have a positive attitude that encourages and lifts people up, or do you have a negative one that always pulls people down, because whether you realize it or not, you’re either doing one or the other.

What do you think?