A Wisdom Story of Significance

What comes to mind when you see the word, SIGNIFICANCE?  Maybe you think of historical events.  Or famous people.  The relevant question is:  Are you significant?  In the world?  On your job?  With your family?  Significance is a big word and it has so many meanings.  Ready to explore?

I've known Becky for 25 years.  A treasured friend.  We were in the café and I was telling her about my new offering which used the words, Success and Significance.  She wrinkled her nose.  "Not a fan of the word, 'significance.'  We live in a world where we strive for more more more.  Significance is overwhelming.  And crushing.  No … significance just feels like more pressure."

Well, that didn't go how I imagined.

Significance and Statistics

Not many people know I'm an analytic geek.  When I was in my PhD program in Organization Behavior, I would go to the bookstore and buy graduate level statistics books.  Read them and explore the world of statistics and analytics like Hiram Bingham searching for the lost city of the Incas, Machu Picchu.  To me, statistical formulas were like beautifully sculpted stones fitting together so you couldn't put a sheet of paper between them.  Oh, statistics are … fantastic!

So, it's no surprise I gravitate towards a definition of significance from statistics.  In a statistical sense, significance is deviating from norm or expectation.  That's it.  We gravitate towards normal.  Sometimes, we even yearn for normal.  Yet, we have a voice inside that strives and yearns for uniqueness.  Our uniqueness goes right down to our DNA!!

Branding Your Significance

I worked at a big consulting company.  400,000 plus employees.  I had the privilege of mentoring many young consultants over my 28.5 year career.  Hundreds if not thousands of performance conversations!  I often asked, what is your brand?  If they responded with 'I'm good with people,' or, I work really hard,' I usually came back with, 'Yea, you and 400,000 other employees.'  

So, what makes YOU unique? 

Generic brands are commodity.  Unique brands are VALUED!  Our journey of significance is a process of discovering our own version of uniqueness.  It's exactly our deviance from norm or expectation which creates … our significance.  When we live into our significance, we share our uniqueness in our families, in our communities, at our jobs.  Our uniqueness is like a beautiful puzzle piece.  When shared, we discover how we fit into the world.  And putting our uniqueness in the world takes courage.  We risk ridicule.  Separation.  Marginalized.  We often back away.  Why?  Because the world pulls us to … The Normal.  

Resist! 

Have the courage to show your uniqueness and be significant!  Act!  By showing our many unique edges on our beautifully complex puzzle piece, we discover how our edges fit into place.  I celebrate significance.  I celebrate deviating from norm or expectation!  In fact, let's create a Significance Movement, shall we? 

The Wisdom of Living INTO Your Significance

How can you live into your significance?  Your intuition often whispers in your ear.  It's those small moments when we take a deep breath and step forward in our significance!  We deviate from what is expected.  We surprise.  We laugh.  We cry.  We engage.

Yes, let's create an army of Significance Deviates – all living into our uniqueness!  Contributing to the world.  Each in our unique way.  Beautiful, glowing puzzle pieces, fitting together.

Living into your significance begins with a simple quest to discover your uniqueness.  You'll only know if you try!  One small significant step could change the world!

Wisdom isn't wisdom until it's shared!