Insightful

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Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash

When what we do is done from the heart, it’ll be kinda hard for it not to be heartfelt.-Henery X

Darlene Green made a lot of money being a part of the sports world. She generated the bulk of her earnings through endorsement deals. And she received these deals because of the people who supported her, specifically those on social media. It took her a minute to realize it, but she eventually discovered that popularity was good for business.

You see, companies are willing to pay people who are popular sizable sums of money with the intent of generating much more in the long run. They want to connect with these popular people and have them endorse their products or services, with the intent of having their social media supporters purchase the products or take advantage of the services provided. Once Darlene realized this fact, she understood her power to renegotiate, and this is when her good fortune got even greater.

Long retired as a wealthy woman, Darlene now spends the bulk of her time traveling and enlightening the youth on the power of correct knowledge. She did lectures in middle and high schools, as well as colleges throughout the country, and her presence was in high demand. And what made this even more special, she offered her time and wisdom for free. It was her way of helping to bring about the change she desired to see in the world.

Darlene stood atop a well lit stage and before a sea of high school students. The youngsters in question were eager to hear what this wise woman had to say. You see, they were made aware of her story weeks in advance. And they felt it was an honor to have her grace them with her presence.

“Greetings, ladies and gentlemen,” Darlene said cheerfully.

“Greetings, Mrs. Green,” the students said in unison.

The gesture brought a smile to Darlene’s face.

“I pray all is well with you all. Let me start by saying I’m honored to be here. I love being in the presence of those eager to be enlightened. Now, I’m going to say what I always say before I share the wisdom I came to share.”

Many of the students had notepads and some sort of writing utensil. They intended to take notes so they could study them at their leisure. The sight of this brought another smile to Darlene’s face. She loved to see people taking handwritten notes.

“I’m not here to convince you to believe. I’m here to offer you something else to consider. The receiver of the information should always establish belief. My duty is to deliver the message to the best of my ability, with the intent of having the receiver desire to act on it.”

The students applauded.

“Thank you. Now, with that being said and done. Let me begin the reason I stand before you all today. Within you all is a greatness eager to be unleashed. This greatness will allow you to accomplish imaginable, as well as unimaginable, things. And it all begins with belief. Once you believe you can do something and never doubt this, regardless of the circumstances, more often than not, you will achieve your goals. Doubt has silenced more dreams than anything else known.

“Sure, they’ll be things we won’t achieve, no matter how badly we may want to. This is just a fact of life. But the only way we’ll know what these things are is by going for everything our hearts’ desire and, with our greatest effort. And if it’s not meant to be, at least we can move forward with no regrets. It’s easier living with disappointment than it is with regret. Trust me, I’m speaking from firsthand experience.”

The students applauded.

“Whatever you do, always put forth your best effort. And never become satisfied. Satisfaction is the first step towards stagnation. There’s always room for improvement. So this means not only can you get better, but just as importantly, you can achieve more. Never lose sight of the fact you won’t be the only one doing whatever you decide to do. Individuals who are eventually selected are considered the best in their field. In order to be the best, you must continuously strive to improve your skills. Talent is what we do, while skills is how it’s done. Let me repeat that. Talent is what we do, while skills is how it’s done.

"Every talent has basic fundamentals. Fundamentals is how everything is normally done. But there are other ways everything can be done as well, and this is where skills come into play. Skills are when we tap into our creativity. The more creative we're willing to become, the more we'll enhance our skills. And the more we enhance our skills, the more in demand we'll become. So, never be afraid to think outside the box. Actually, break down the box and recycle it. It has no place in your life. You're beyond a box, and standing in the middle of the wide open field of perpetual possibility.”

The students applauded.

“And lastly. I want to speak about the power of popularity. The more popular people are, the more attractive they become to major companies. But it’s less about the person, and more about the people who support them, especially those on social media. You see, these companies see the supporters as potential consumers. So, with this being the case, they’re willing to pay the popular person to endorse their products or services. If a company is willing to pay you millions of dollars to endorse their products or services, they plan on making ten times that amount in the long run. They need you more than you need them. Always remember this. So don’t be afraid to negotiate, but ensure you do so wisely. And the wisest thing you can do is have a trustworthy individual by your side, and that knows exactly what they are doing. And it's best to endorse products and services you'd actually buy or use. Never allow any amount of money to have you mislead the people. Honesty is truly the best policy.”

The students applauded.

“Thank you. Congratulations on your success, and may it continue to exceed your highest expectations. You are the future. And from where I’m standing, the future is looking bright.”

The students all rose to their feet and applauded. Darlene was smiling uncontrollably, as tears of joy fell from her hazel eyes. She felt like a proud mother watching her children, as they prepared to do their part in helping to change the ways of this world. And as her eyes scanned the crowd of young people, she had no doubt that most of them would indeed help change the ways of this world for the better.

We’re all children at heart. So, with this being the case, this story is for all who read it. Know that you’re greater than the greatest thought you could ever think, meaning never become satisfied with accomplishment. We were created to create, simple as that. The purpose is to create, share, motivate, and repeat. Whatever you choose to do to fulfill the purpose, always ensure you give your best effort. Consistently enhancing our skills is how we improve our effort. The average person needs to see to believe. So, it’s our duty to always give them something they can’t doubt, which is tangible proof. Tangible proof needs no support. It speaks for itself, and its voice is loud and clear.

Do what you love and love what you do.