“No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.” ~ Amelia Earhart
A lot of my friends have asked me what is my most important learning, and I have the answer even before they have finished the question. It’s the ripple effect.
We have all have seen a calm standing pond and we have all thrown a stone into that water. We then remember the ripples that the stone created, it spread away from where the stone splashed into the water and by the time the ripple got to the bank of the pond it was almost a little wave. Many intellectuals would call it an exponential increase in activity with the progression of the event.
On many nights, I think about the importance of the ripple effect. Everything in the world is caused by a ripple effect. Imagine life on Earth. A planet somewhere struck an asteroid and the asteroid sped towards Earth and then it happened to carry the building blocks of life. The Sun added to the ripple and with water and heat the equation was complete, life was born.
One thing leads to another, very evidently. But the most heartbreaking thing I have seen is how people set ripples in motion all the time, not knowing how that one ripple could come back to change their lives. “What goes around comes around” plays out beautifully in life.
We will come in contact with many people today. At work, at the grocery store, at home, at the gym or on the road. We will see, speak with, post to, and be an example for, the people in our social circles. And many others through them. It’s our choice how we interact with them. Our words and actions will magnify emotions for others, either passing on the good emotions or passing on the bad ones. Regardless of what we are going through, it’s our choice to create good ripples with a smile, a hug, encouragement, a laugh or a simple “thank you.” It’s also our choice to pass on ripples of anger, resentment, frustration, or complaints. There isn’t really a “neutral” when it comes to emotional energy. It’s either positive or negative.
We don’t change the world by the big happenings, they seldom last, but by creating ripple effects – if we do some small things each day – to voice our concerns about social injustices and what we see as wrong in the world, and what can be done about it – we will get there. Slowly – and more importantly – steadily.
Every single person we come in contact with today will be affected either positively or negatively by each of us.
Many of us may have read this true story of Dr Howard Kelly so many times. But each time I read it, the moral beauty of the story touches me.
This is a touching true story of a boy selling from door to door to pay for his school. One day he found he had only one dime left, and he was hungry.
He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house.
However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.
Instead of a meal, he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry and brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, savoring each sip, and then asked, “how much do I owe you?”
You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “mother has taught us never to accept pay for kindness.”
He said … “then I thank you from my heart.”
As he left the house, he felt physically stronger, and his faith in the Universal spirit and man was strong.
Many years later, that same young woman became critically ill.
The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.
Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. A strange light filled his eyes when he heard the name of the town she came from.
He immediately rose and went down the hospital hall to her room.
Dressed in his doctor’s gown, he went in to see her. He recognised her at once.
He returned to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day, he gave special attention to her case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won, and Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval.
He looked at it, wrote something on the edge, and sent the bill to her room.
She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all.
Finally, she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words …
“Paid in full with one glass of milk.”
(signed) Dr Howard Kelly.
Dr Howard Kelly (1858–1943) was a distinguished physician who was one of the four founding doctors of Johns Hopkins, the first medical research university in the USA.
The ripple effect of coaching and mentorship is also more than just guiding young professionals. It’s a powerful tool for building a strong, supportive network and fostering innovation across generations and work units. As someone who’s both benefited from and provided mentorship, some of us are passionate about its potential to create a ripple effect of positive change.
We all have a responsibility to help those coming up behind us. By sharing our knowledge and experience, we can empower others to navigate challenges, develop their skills, and reach their full potential. Through coaching and mentorship, we can bridge the gap between theory and practice, providing real-world insights that can accelerate their careers.
Interestingly, coaching and mentorship isn’t a one-way street. It’s an opportunity to connect with colleagues in a meaningful way. By mentoring someone in a different field, we gain fresh perspectives and challenge our own thinking. This cross-pollination of ideas can lead to new approaches and innovative solutions that benefit everyone.
So, what ripples are we planning to meaningfully create?
