Last month I read an article where Malcom Gladwell (Tipping Point author) made a statement that really made me think and also inspired this post.
He said:
In 50 years, Gates will be remembered whereas Steve Jobs will probably be forgotten.
Now I know most Apple fans probably sneered at this comment (me inclusive) because we recognize that Steve Jobs has made an enormous contribution to technology.
He brought us the Ipod, Iphone, Ipad etc and some people can't imagine their lives without them.
But, as I continued reading I actually found that Gladwell actually had a strong and compelling argument.
First of all, what Gladwell meant by his statement was while those two might not get remembered for the contributions to technology, they would be remembered for their philanthropic efforts and no one does philanthropy like Bill Gates.
It made think. Sure while we use the Iphone 55's of that time, a handful of us will actually remember or be alive to remember who the genius behind it was.
Whereas in Gates' situation because he contributed so much to the world from helping to find the cure for AIDS to stopping the spread of malaria, even a poor child in Africa would be told stories by his grandparents about the "man who saved Africa"(especially if he succeeds of course).
In Gladwell's words:
" There will be statues of Gates across the third world "
Finding Out What Your Contribution Will Be
Making a world changing contribution is easier than you think. You don't have to be worth $61 billion or end world hunger to do it. Even the simple things you do everyday have the potential to help change the world. You could have done something today that would have a big impact on the future and you didn't even know it.
Don't believe me? Let me give you an example.
Theo van Gogh was Vincent van Gogh's younger brother. Theo can probably be considered the single most important person behind Vincent's masterpieces. One thing you have to understand is Vincent wasn't at all famous during the time he was alive. He was poor and often suffered bouts of mental illness. He had only ever sold one painting his lifetime!
Despite all this Theo continued to encourage his older brother to continue doing the work he loved. Not only that, he also supported him financially. The result? Today Vincent is considered one of the greatest artists that ever lived.
So you see, what I realized is that even something as simple as showing love and support can cause greatness in someone and contribute a ton to the world.
Getting Started
Getting started can be easy as long as you know where to begin. Here are some ways you can start making your contribution today.
Explore your talents. The first place you should look should be your own talents. Explore and develop them. There's a reason you have them isn't there? So use them to make your own unique impact on the world.
Give Encouragement. Just like Theo, you should try and encourage the people you love, even for the small things. No matter what they choose to do, you should always be there to give them that drive. You could be encouraging the next great writer, singer or even scientist.
Help. Whenever you have a chance to help someone, you should take it. Even just talking to a random person could do wonders. You could just save their life or increase their self esteem. Best case scenario you would have just helped a world changer.
What about you?
What will you contribute to the world?
Photo Credit: Ingrid0804
