Toronto, April 1, 2013
It’s April 1. I think they named this day after me. My birthday is on April 20 so I am a proud April Fool.
And just so you don’t think I’m an idiot, it’s not that foolish to be a fool. The dictionary defines a fool as a professional jester; an ardent enthusiast who cannot resist the opportunity to indulge an enthusiasm; someone who plays, pretends or make believes; someone who acts silly but may not be silly.
By those definitions, I think the world needs more fools. As Sandy Rogers sings: you’ve got to follow the rule, always a fool, a fool for love. There are many different kinds of fools and many different kinds of love. Anyone who takes any kind of risk risks being a fool. That may be the biggest reason why people don’t take risks – they’re scared of being called a fool by others. How many opportunities have you forfeited because you were scared of being foolish? How often have you held yourself back from indulging an enthusiasm because you were afraid of looking stupid? What dreams have died because you weren’t a fool for them?
The great ones are all fools for something meaningful in their lives. They defy the odds and stare down their fear. They take the leap. They stumble, fumble and fail. Then they win. Then they start all over again. But one day, people stop calling them fools and start calling them champions. You know what I’m talking about.
So this April 1, resolve to be a fool. Be crazy for your passion. Relish making fun of yourself. Liberate yourself from your own seriousness. Take life seriously but take yourself lightly. Be a smile waiting to happen and a lot more people will want to hang with you. Lighting up others’ spirit may be one of the most generous things you can do.
The cover story of yesterday’s issue of The New York Times Magazine is a must read. It’s titled, “Is giving the secret to getting ahead?” It quotes the research of organizational psychologist and Wharton professor, Adam Grant. Grant has discovered seven game changing truths about generosity:
- Helping others is the motivator that spurs increased productivity and creativity.
- The greatest untapped source of inspiration is a sense of service to others.
- The opportunity to help others makes people more committed to the people or organizations who give them the opportunity to help others.
- Givers motivate themselves to avoid complacency by focusing on the benefits to others if they succeed and worrying about disappointing them if they fail.
- The world is divided into three types of people: givers, matchers and takers. Givers give without expectation of immediate gain. Matchers give when they see how they will get something of equal value back. Takers seek to come out ahead in every exchange. The most successful people are the givers.
- Giving strengthens your willpower. Overriding your selfish impulses strengthens your psychological muscles.
- The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.
And here’s my final thought: all success is a reciprocation of the contribution we make to others and generosity magnifies that reciprocation.
