Do The Small Things Well
Recently, I was watching a short clip on CNN showcasing a man who fills potholes at his own expense. This was on the back of losing his son to an accident caused by a pothole in the road.
What started as a project to prevent a similar tragedy happening to others became something that’s now showcased on CNN. I have no doubt that the man never thought that he would one day be on national media because that wasn’t his motivation.
Today he is doing a great job but it started as a small thing. There’s also the story of another young woman who is using the medium of dance to reach the young people in her country, transforming their lives in the process. From this work that started small, she went on to start an orphanage changing even more lives.
Most of us dream of starting big initiatives while not paying attention to the small things that we can do well. There’s a proverb that says that a forest starts with just one tree. Plant more and keep planting and one day, the individual plants will make a forest.
I love the quote by Mother Teresa which says, “None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.”
What if we all thought the same as Mother Teresa? What if each person made a choice today to do something small with great love, intentionality and consistency? How would our lives and the world change for the better?
What is your small thing and what does it look like right now? Can it be a volunteering or mentoring opportunity? Maybe it looks like visiting the elderly and the lonely around you, or perhaps it looks like being a voice for the voiceless by speaking out against injustice.
Recently a young lady I know decided to run the London Marathon after a year of ill-health in support of a charity that is making a difference in Eastern Europe and in the UK.
Her small thing was fund raising but imagine how much more impact would be made if twenty more people joined her in doing the same small thing. A big thing would be accomplished.
Many family owned companies today have grown to be huge conglomerates because they mastered the art of doing the small things well.
In life, career and home, we can make a decision to start doing the small things really well.
In our workplaces, it may be those tasks that we currently think are not challenging enough. We have two options – look at the small tasks with disdain which ultimately leads to underperformance or do them with the same passion, commitment and consistency that we have planned for the big tasks that are yet to come.
One option gets us instant recognition for what we are currently doing well, the other becomes a barrier to any future ‘potentially big’ opportunities.
I like the verse of scripture that says we should do whatever our hand finds to do as unto the Lord. What this simply means is that we don’t do anything for earthly reward, for man’s approval or simply to impress someone else.
Whatever we do, we do as if the Highest of Powers was watching us and we only want to impress Him. How about that for setting a standard for the things we do – small or big?
As we start a new week, what are those small things that you need to do? How can you do them with great love even though they may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things?
What small thing can you commit to start doing today that will transform your health, life, home, workplace and community?
Perhaps it’s time to start taking that ten minute walk everyday. In time you will be up for walking a mile or even a half marathon.
Thank you for reading my post and for sharing it with others. Have a great week. I hope it’s a week when you will choose to start doing the small things well.
