bythemethod.com blog

Everyone likes to feel valued and important. Even those of us who prefer not to be in the limelight really like it when others compliment us on something we have done. The problem is that so many times we put our energy in trying to make ourselves feel important and we miss the point that others have to do this for us – you can’t make yourself important only others can do that.

Perhaps in this age where we seem mad on celebrity we forget that it’s possible to feel valued and important even if you don’t have a crowd of worshippers. In fact these feelings often come from just a few individuals who matter to us: teachers, managers, supervisors, the boss, husband, wife, partner, etc.

Now it wouldn’t be unusual for people who read this to be thinking – that’s all very nice but others don’t make me feel important so why should I bother doing it for others.

Well there is a benefit to making others feel important. Those who make others feel important are often the most liked people on the planet. Think about it for a bit.

When you hear stories about great teachers, what is it that people talk about? They seldom talk about the great facts that they imparted it usually comes down to the teacher noticing and being interested in the student. Or what about when people talk about famous people – they will mention how nice they were to be interested in them for a few moments. It’s the way people were valued – made to feel like they mattered – made to feel important that made the difference. The greatly loved people are those who show an interest – even when they didn’t need to.

It’s one of those strange rules of the universe that the more you give importance to others – the more importance will come to you. You can’t make your self important but you can make others feel important and when you do they will make you feel important.

Of course there are always going to be a few individuals who are arrogant enough to think they deserve your attention just because of who they are (nobody likes these people by the way) but there are an awful lot more who will return the attention you paid to them.

So who are you going to pay more attention to today?

I want to add my own tribute to the people who worked on the moon landings – not just the people who got to walk on the moon but everyone else as well.

This is one of those stories that should fill every person (regardless of nationality) with pride in the achievements of people. Those who made the landings possible were just ordinary men and women who found themselves in the position of being able to work on this incredible adventure.

We would be wrong to assume that they were somehow superhuman and different from ourselves, they were people just like us. They had been to school just like us, had been told off by parents, just like us. No doubt they had fallen in and out of love, been excited and disappointed just like us. They faced big setbacks and made some amazing advances but all with the same brain that we have. They even had the same kinds of tools that we have – in fact we probably have better ones today.

It is amazing what people can achieve when they apply themselves and work hard to overcome all obstacles. I often hear people comment on how amazing the animal kingdom is but I want to say how amazing people are. This is a day to celebrate being a person and then to allow ourselves to dream of what might be possible for us.

Go on have some dreams and then make some plans to bring them about – after all people have been to the moon so is your dream really that impossible?