The Power of One

I came across this video and decided to share it on my blog because of my firm belief in the key principle it espouses, namely that one person with an idea and the will, can shape events that effect many. Although this video focuses on positive examples, the same principle can be (and history is littered with examples) applied to achieve horribly, negative results.

And the difference?

Its all in the chooser, the doer, the implementer’s intention! The important thing to take from this, is that when the intention is selfless, generous and for the general good and well-being of others, the seeds planted result in a colorful, fragrant, rich and rewarding garden of life for the doer. Think Jimmy Carter in his post-presidential years, with his prolific “good-works” and generous kindness creating deep appreciation for the man, and a legacy to be treasured. When the opposite, the result is a garden of thorns and weeds. Think Madoff in a 10′ by 10′ cell for the rest of his life, having lost everything, including his two sons to suicide.

Of course, we all have good moments and not-so-good moments, and as a result, lives that shift back and forth along the happiness/fulfillment/misery continuum. However, the long-term narrative is informed by the moment to moment choices and how they come out “in balance.” While no person is perfect, the quest is to stay mindful that it is, in the end, the chooser, the doer, the implementer alone, who shapes what will surely unfold.

The Power of One

The Power of One