The email storm that is my work and private inboxes is littered with the philosophical diatribe of chain letters, updated fables, cats doing unspeakable things and happy Monday slogans, entreating me to pass on oft overused quotations to bring me luck. On rare occasions a message will strike a chord and get me thinking on a personal and business context about the content and its worth. One such philosophical enlightenment came my way via the pen of noted cartoon colossus Charles Schultz, enquiring about my memory of high achievers in sport, entertainment, business and other endeavours and why I don't remember them.
He posed questions along the lines of "can you name five recent Oscar winners", as well as 5 Nobel or Pulitzer Prize winners, the 5 wealthiest people on the planet along with a raft of similar high achievers in fields that keep us interested in the front pages while keeping the Twitter universe entranced. I of course couldn't answer the questions, Meryl Streep kept leaping to mind and distracting my train of thought, surely she has won every Oscar. I did get closer with the wealthy people, Warren Buffett is never out of the news, dredging up fears I'm turning into a capitalistic plutocrat, intent on lining my own pockets. That feeling passed quickly with Mr Schultz' follow on questions which became the hook of his philosophical contemplation and gave me pause to deliberate, agree with his view and disperse any fears of becoming Daddy Warbucks.
His second series of questions, like "can you name some teachers who were important to your development", hinged on my memory of people who helped with knowledge, support, mentoring, business acumen, a foot up the ladder and who became my advocates. I of course could remember everyone who made such a difference, who helped in times of trouble and who worked in alignment with my own thinking. His second series of questions, pointed out how quickly the headliners disappear from our memories, for they have no more impact than yesterday's newspaper, no more impact than last year's election winners and no more impact than the acclaimed sports stars soon to fade from memory.
Schultz' philosophical view was all about focusing your attention on who is really important in life. Which isn't the high achievers in entertainment or sport, it isn't who did what the most or even who collected the most treasure. People who make the most difference in your life are not the most credentialed, not the ones with the highest profiles, not the ones with the most money and certainly not the ones with the most awards. As the cartoon philosopher was proud to point out, the lesson learnt is even the best in their fields find the applause dies, the awards tarnish and the accomplishments are forgotten, eventually to be buried with their owners.
The people who make the most difference in your life are the ones that care. You're a good man Charles Schultz.
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