That thing you do IS essential

That thing you do?

It’s not for you.

Those tantalizing treats you bake? You don’t want to eat them all by yourself, do you? That’s no fun.

That gift you have — the way you saw, sculpt, teach, design, drive, clean, count or carry — that’s incredible. But only if someone else experiences it.

It’s not yours.

And it’s not for you.

That insight really struck me last weekend after I facilitated a large-group discussion on “Excellence.” It arrived at the exact moment I shut off the projector and closed my laptop. Though I was the point man, the linchpin of the event, I was certainly far from alone. I was in the presence of many people who took the conversation to an even higher level than I had planned. And I was standing on the shoulders of some giants in their respective fields.

You do it every day, too. We just don’t realize it.

*****

Believe it or not, we’re now a full year into “two weeks to flatten the curve.” That’s not a political statement. That’s not a pat on the back nor a shot at anyone. That’s just what you and I were told last March.

Many of us were also told something that hurt very deeply. We were told our jobs were “non-essential.” Many of us who heard that last March still aren’t working a year later.

There’s never been a bigger lie delivered to so many people. There’s never been a bigger slap in the face to millions of Americans who impact our lives in beautiful ways.

We just don’t see it most of the time. Therefore, we don’t acknowledge it. And we think they’re not essential.

But I’m here to tell you that we’re ALL connected in ways great and small. We ALL have a role to play if civilization is to advance. And we ALL must continue to live out that purpose for one another.

That thing you do? It’s not for you.

It’s not yours.

And our lives are better because of that.

To illustrate that point, let’s return to the presentation over the weekend. Let’s see who was essential to a group of people discussing excellence.

The person who once dreamed of a computer.
The engineers who designed my laptop.
The workers who assembled my laptop.
The team who created the software for my slides.
The people who cleaned our room.
The people who set up the chairs in that room.
The sound person who set up our microphones.
The leaders of the group who put together the event.
The hundreds of authors I’ve read to glean insights.
The dozens of mentors, co-workers and friends who’ve modeled excellence for me so I could tell others about it.

And …

Are you starting to get the picture?

You matter.

The way you clean the office matters.

The way you drive the bus matters.

The way you answer the phone matters.

The way you open doors for others matters.

The way you interact on social media matters.

You, friend, are ESSENTIAL to my life. I may not know exactly how, or I may never know when.

But I know I will experience your contributions to humanity directly or indirectly. I know we are ALL interconnected and we need each other to survive and thrive.

And today, I want to publicly thank you for that thing you do, whatever it may be. You are a gift.

Speaking of “That Thing You Do,” let me close with a brief clip from a film by that same name, which is one of my all-time favorites. Please take a moment to watch before you finish this blog.

Wasn’t that a great scene? Funny, moving, catchy, and insightful all at once. Let’s quickly break down some of the essential interactions that had to occur so the Patterson family could experience the joy of seeing their baby boy on television.

Only because they purchased a TV from the hardware store they owned.
Only because someone built the TV they were watching.
Only because there were dozens of skilled producers and editors in the control room making it happen.
Only because thousands of fans let the Wonders know their song was a delight to hear.
Only because Guy Patterson played a much faster beat than the original ballad intended.
Only because Jimmy put pen to paper and wrote the lyrics and melody.
Only because someone had invented electricity.

Only because …

You starting to get the picture?

No doubt you’ll be carrying that tune around for the rest of the day. And no doubt you’ll be carrying a little piece of me, too, since I chose to share it with you.

Why did I do it? You may never know exactly, but that doesn’t lessen its impact.

In a framed print on his wall, Fred Rogers prominently displayed his favorite quote: “L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.”

In French, that means, “What’s essential is invisible to the eye.”

You, friends, are certainly essential to my life. And I trust that I’m essential to yours in some way.

I hope we’ll see that a bit more clearly now. Even when we can’t.

(Tim Kolodziej is the author of this piece and founder of EnspireU.com. When he’s not behind a laptop, he can be found inside a gym helping young athletes create their own unique future — one rep at a time. Click here to connect with him by email.)