Imagine you're standing in line at your favorite coffee shop, eagerly anticipating your morning caffeine fix. As you approach the counter, you notice the harried look on the barista's face as they juggle multiple orders and navigate the morning rush.
In that moment, you have a choice: you can simply place your order and go about your day, or you can seize the opportunity to make a small but meaningful contribution.
Sharing an idea from the book ‘The art of possibility’ - a concept called Contributions which changes the way you look at how the world is treating you (including your boss/family members) and flips the story.
Shift from Transactional to Transformational Contributions
In "The Art of Possibility" by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander, the concept of contribution is a central theme that transcends mere acts of giving.
What’s contribution? What’s the big deal? Well, here are the key examples in day-to-day life and how to flip the conversation from ‘What’s in for me’ to ‘here goes my contribution’:
Washing the dishes isn't just a chore; it's contributing to a clean and healthy environment for your family.
Helping a colleague with a project isn't just extra work; it's contributing to a successful team effort.
Even that five-minute phone call with a lonely friend is a contribution to their well-being.
By shifting your perspective, the mundane becomes meaningful. You realize that every action, big or small, has the potential to make a positive difference.
This reframing doesn't eliminate the challenges, but it injects purpose into the everyday grind.
You become not just a person caught in the daily whirlwind, but a contributor shaping your own world and the world around you.
Practice Generosity of Spirit
In the game of contribution you wake up each day and bask in the notion that you are a gift to others.
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