This Edition of Life Changers is adapted from an interview that I was honored to co-host with my good friend Jared Easley – you can check out his podcast Starve The Doubts – HERE.
Life Changers is a feature where I ask individuals to answer the question: “What is an idea or habit that has changed your life?” Here is how thought leader, author, speaker, and top executive coach Dr. Marshall Goldsmith answered the question.
Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is the million-selling author or editor of 32 books, including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers, MOJO and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There. His books have been translated into 28 languages and become bestsellers in ten countries. Recognized by BusinessWeek, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and by the Institute for Management Studies by their Lifetime Achievement Award (one of only two ever awarded), his work has been recognized by almost every professional organization in his field. Over three hundred of his articles, interviews, and videos are available online at MarshallGoldsmith.com for viewing and sharing.
I went to Africa when they had the Great Famine Campaign of 1984 and I was there for 9 days. I was there with the Red Cross and it was taped on NBC News – it was on TV every day for a week.
I watched a lot of people starve to death while I was there.
Now I have a picture in my library, and the picture is of me when I was back in Africa, and I’m sitting next to a woman who is measuring the arms of children.
She is doing this because they only fed children between the ages of 2 and 16, because they didn’t have enough food.
So if you are over 16 or under 2, you got to die. Otherwise she would measure your arms.
If the arm was too little , she would say “well, you’re going to die anyway, go over there.”
If the arm was too big, they were considered not hungry enough, and she would tell them to step out of the line.
If your arm is in the middle, then you get food.
So in the picture I’m looking at the camera, trying to send myself a message, the me then, looking at the me now, trying to say this:
Be happy with what you have.
Your kids are not in this line.
You’re not in this line.
Be happy, life is good.
I have a loving wife, a wonderful family, and way more material blessings than I deserve. Thanks for sharing this story Jon–what a great reminder of how blessed we are, and also how we have the opportunity to reach out and help others.
Sean – those are some outstanding blessings! I too need to do better with the reaching out part, thanks for the reminder.