Mind Your Own Business

My wife and I recently attended a beautiful gala ceremony where a client and friend was honored. He was one of two highly accomplished and well-deserved honorees. Several close friends, family and co-workers spoke on their behalf. They were all good, but one stuck out.

His daughter captured the essence of a message her dad had always promoted to her and to her younger sisters. And, now, graduated from school and established in her career, she shared this highly impactful message.

It was an answer to the many questions she had while growing up. It was how he responded when she asked about the new cell phones or cars that her friends’ parents bought for them. The obvious question being, “How about you, mom and dad – new cell phone? New car?  The response always went to this:

“Mind Your Own Business.”

With permission, here is a direct quote from her notes that evening: “It took me a few years of growing up to really grasp what that meant, but luckily I did and now it makes a lot of sense. If you mind your own business and don’t worry about ‘keeping up with the Jones’s’ or what others are doing, or how they’re spending their money, you can spend more time focusing on your own hobbies and affairs, cultivating your own relationships with your family and friends, and focusing on your own happiness and your relationship with God. If you do all of those things, you can get yourself to a place mentally, physically, financially, and spiritually to give back to the community and to better help those around you.”

Dang! That’s good.

What a great lesson learned. And a great lesson to pass along.

Maybe we should mind our own business in the same way. Imagine the change in social media, in gossip, in teamwork, engagement, families, communities. Look at ourselves, rather than others to make changes. Then help others do the same.

A difference-maker for sure.

So, go ahead, mind your own business.