Secrets to Success
Secrets to Success
Success in a
post-9/11 worldI was living in New Jersey one year ago, when the Trade Centers came down in New York City. It was the first of a series of days that will never be erased from my mind.
It was a day when road rage didn't exist. A day when New Yorkers were silent as they walked along the streets, trying to find a way home -- anyway they could. I had friends who walked more than 20 miles that day, just to get out of the city and into their own homes. People waited by the phone, hoping and praying they'd hear from their family and friends who worked in the city. When that phone finally did ring, it was a joyful moment, full of emotion, when the only thing that mattered was a loved one's safety.
That day, people's petty differences disappeared. People from all races, nationalities, cultures and religions united to support one another in their struggles, grief and loss. On a day when we witnessed the worst in human nature, we also saw the best as people helped one another, sacrificing their own lives for complete strangers. Random acts of kindness for fellow citizens occurred as people ran out to wait in line to donate their time, resources or blood.
Financial priorities became secondary for one week. At no other time in history has the New York Stock Exchange been closed for four days straight, nor has their been a time when all professional sporting events simultaneously canceled for the length of time out of respect. People from countries around the world held moments of silence, sharing our grief and loss.
The cares and stressors my husband and I had prior to that day were dramatically shifted. The stressors consuming our attention shifted toward intangible things and people that mattered most: family, friends, loved ones, security, peace, freedom.
Financial pressures jump to the back burner when things that really matter are jarred. Last September, we were reminded of this reality. Everything else stopped, as we anticipated his Mom's call, our eyes glued to the TV screen for a possible glimpse of her walking on the streets with the thousands of others who joined together in solidarity.
This week, my husband and I are celebrating with his parents as they visit us here in our new home on the majestic island of Oahu.
We are filled with gratitude each day we spend with them, thinking how we almost lost the dearest thing in our lives, his Mom on Sept. 11, 2001.
Have you ever experienced a similar perspective shift, right after a dramatic, life-altering event? Isn't it interesting how our priorities change as our focus shifts?
A sense of urgency is often created once we realize how quickly time passes. When we realize there are no guarantees of tomorrow, we set out to achieve those goals we've been keeping on the back burner.
What do you consider important in your life and business? Join me this month in reflecting on all the things in life we can be grateful for.
We don't have to wait for tragedy to bring us together to focus on what's really important. Instead, let's be proactive and do something today -- right now -- that will honor someone special in our lives. Let's put our differences aside and focus on what joins us together -- our love for freedom, for peace and an appreciation for one another.
Deborah Cole Micek, chief executive officer
of RPM Success Group, is a business success coach
and life strategist. Reach her at DCM@RPMsuccess.com
or (888) 334-8151.