Here’s a short quiz:
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the —-world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy —-winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss —-America pageant.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel —-or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award —-winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade’s worth of World —-Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday.
These are not second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here’s another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school or life.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Was that easier?
The lesson: The people who make the biggest difference in our lives are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money or the most awards.
They are simply the ones that care the most.
These are the relationships to be grateful for. Thinking about this helps us to keep our relationship priorities in the right place. Forget about the rich and famous news-makers and concentrate on the people who matter.
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{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
The contrast between these two quizzes really puts priorities in clear focus. You don’t have to spell it out. The impact is immediate and powerful. Thank you!
Galen Pearl recently posted..Happiness Reminders
Hi Galen, I thought this was a fun approach to the lesson. Glad you liked it.
Amen to that Jonathan!
Hi Dandy, this was a fun little post to do!
Powerful, Jonathan ! Thank you.
Wouldn’t it be interesting to see this expanded upon in one of those “famous people” – hollywood – magazines. I was flipping through one of these while waiting at the doctors today. How it amazes me what, IMHO, junk is printed and what people pay to read!! Since I have so many medical appointments I should try to remember to bring a good book or paper to write letters to those that do matter in my life.
Hi Daisey, when you see all those magazines you can’t help but think Who reads this stuff? But then you realize that they wouldn’t publish them if there weren’t tons of people ready to buy and devourer them.
Jonathon,
This is a beautfully written and very effective article that highlights which relationships really matter to us. I appreciated it. Thank you.
timethief recently posted..Art Therapy Abstracts- The Depths
Hi T.T., it’s really nice to see you here and I’m so glad you enjoyed it. When I showed it to my wife she got right into answering the questions in the second quiz and I was hoping others would do the same thing.
Jonathan,
I like the short, punchy approach to this post. You really hit the ball home!
Sandra Lee recently posted..Free Yourself with Free Writing
Hi Sandra, I was in a light and fun mood this morning and it definitely shows.
Hey Jonathan.
What a cool distinction you made here. This gets the message across to us because it is much easier to think of people for the second part here. The people we have to worry about are those we are connected to and know of and can work with. The people we don’t need to care about are most of the people we see on TV or hear about on the news or wherever else. They are not usually connected to us, so spending excess time on their details doesn’t make sense.
There are life skills and then there are advanced life skills.
Armen Shirvanian recently posted..4 Ways To Get Your Brain Into Action Mode
Thanks Armen, it’s amazing how many people get so mentally involved with these celebrities that they form an imaginary relationship with them. Guys even do this with their so called sports heroes. We all have real heroes in our lives and focusing on those is a much better use of energy.
Your closing sentence got my attention, I love it.
Small post but still managed to touch the heart.
Jonathan Great words….. The people who help us are important for us than any famous celebrity or personality.
Really Love it.
Hi Shailender, If it touched your heart then I am a happy guy because that is always the goal, through the mind and into the heart.
Jonathan, this is sensational! I love the simple contrast and it really made me think about the people closest to me who’ve really been there for me.
Thank you!
Amit Sodha – The Power Of Choice recently posted..Living Consciously – A Path For Warriors- Not Wussies
Hi Amit, your response (thinking about those special people) was exactly what I was hoping for. Thanks for mentioning that.
Yes Jonathan!
The people who matter most are the people we share the everyday things with!
Alex
Hey Alex, the cool thing is, if we let them know that they are the ones that matter most life gets even better!
true indeed. It’s the people that made a difference in our lives that matter.
Persha -DumpedDays recently posted..Ways To Cope With Loneliness After Being Dumped
Hi Persha, yes indeed!
Jonathan: What a great point and message. We really do have lasting memories of people who are special to us and can always remember how good they made us feel. These really are the relationships that matter the most. Thanks for the reminder and bringing this top of mind.
Sibyl – alternaview recently posted..Why You Should Take Chances to Make Things Happen
Hi Sibyl, in this crazy world those little reminders sure can help us keep our focus on what really matters. I sure appreciate them!
I remember seeing those quizzes before and they always put things in perspective for me. What an awesome point!
Nea | Self Improvement Saga recently posted..20 Ego Defense Mechanisms That Can Screw Up Your Life
Hi Nea, getting our perspective tuned up is always a good thing!
Wow Jonathan! This was a short but incredibly powerful lesson. I love the quiz technique to communicate the idea. You are right… the relationship is everything.
Chris recently posted..The Forest or The Seed
Hey Chris, this is probably the shortest post I have ever done. I am really glad that everyone seems to like it. Thanks for your comment Chris!
A short post with a powerful punch! It’s true though, those who care about us are more likely to be remembered.
If they treat us well, we’ll remember it
Stuart recently posted..How Do Successful People Think
Hi Stuart, thanks for all your support here, it’s really appreciated.
Excellent! I was honestly racking my brain over the first quiz. Fortunately I realized that it was a prelude to a point before I pulled my hair out.
Great article – a perfect way to start my Monday off!
Joi @ Self Help Daily recently posted..New Year’s Day- Self Improvement’s Holiday – The Calendars Gift to Us is A Fresh Start
Hi Joi, it’s great that the questions got you engaged. I couldn’t answer any of the questions in the first quiz either. That’s what made them such a perfect contrast to the second quiz.
I love this, who are the people that are important to us. What are we investing in them?
Matt Clark – Damang Media recently posted..So You Think You Are Rich 12 Signs Of The Rich
What a great question Matt. With regard to each of those important people we should be asking ourselves “What am I investing in them?” After all, they are important, right?
This is a great lesson for all. Dont go out there looking for those who care, rather Go there and teach, spend quality time, coach and support the underpriviledge; console and provide a shoulder for the hurting; and appreciate and make people feel special.
Hi Anthony, I also feel that it is much better to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.
Wow, I knew that I am more important to myself than world affairs, but this really points out the imbalance between the two. I actually can’t answer a single one of the questions in the first batch.
It is good to be aware of such things, thanks for the post.