Thursday June 26, 2008 #48
“I have a very strong feeling that the opposite of love is not hate, it is apathy.”
~Leo Buscaglia
A significant part of my personal philosophy and my leadership method revolves around beauty, passion & love. In fact, I have developed an entire program around my belief that every experience is an opportunity to find beauty, passion, and love. I intend to spend several JAMs sharing this philosophy with you. I hope you enjoy the journey.
The first point is about love itself. I have always peppered my leadership vocabulary with “love” – love of people, love of products, love of brands, love of presentation and visual arts, love, love, love. It is my choice to work for companies, with people, and engage in projects that I have passion for – that I can love. Why? Buscaglia’s quote above tells my story. I believe, as he does, that the opposite of love is not hate, but apathy – a far more dangerous and debilitating emotion. I spend my professional and personal life avoiding my own apathy and apathetic people, and focus rather on passionate endeavors.
Your action plan for today: Judge for yourself if you are falling into an apathetic mode or are allowing yourself to be influenced by one or more apathetic person. Apathy is cancerous to a fulfilling life. The antidote? Do more of what you love, less of what you don’t love. As in the last JAM, I remind you that success is best defined by small moves in the right direction each day. Today, choose love over apathy. Spend some time in a part of your job that you love. It could be as simple as picking up the phone and calling that colleague who always leaves you smiling when you hang up the phone. Do it. Now. Feel the love!