It’s easy to mistake activity for accomplishment.
Today has been a day of activity. Lots of it.
Instant gratitificaton. Immediate results. Goal oriented. None of my activities today delivered on any of those. I spent hours talking to people. Every one of them today were grateful for the time I spent with them. They think I was generous.
The truth is that I got a lot out of those conversations too. Inspiration from their life stories. Ideas to communicate my message effectively. Nudges to consider points of view I would not have on my own. Connections they helped make in my mind, or those they made for me in the real world.
Did I accomplish anything with those activities? I think the answer for today is yes. I helped someone find their voice. I helped someone write their story. I helped someone take their mind off their worries, and look to the future. I helped someone break through a mental block with a couple of new ideas.
Hemingway readability index: Grade 4