Originally published on LinkedIn · October 9, 2014.
October 9, 1982 was the day another butterfly caused another change in the world and in me. How are you honoring your personal and professional butterflies? How often?
Today marks 32 years from that Saturday morning when I got on that Mongoose bike and rode to my first job — and walked into a little retail store called “The Software Store” on Fowler Ave. in Tampa, Florida. My first task was simply carrying a box of “green bar” paper to a VIP’s car. And early last month I celebrated 20 years as a full-time employee of GTE/Verizon (~25 when you include my time as an onsite contractor).
But the purpose of this post is really not about ME. It’s about the thousands — if not tens of thousands — of amazing humans (butterflies) that flapped their personal and professional wings to impact, guide, correct, educate, coach, encourage, and mentor me throughout all these years, to and from around the world.
They have given me a passion for teaching people how to honor. I could easily honor 100% of my LinkedIn connections for the small and large things they have done or said to me and for me — many not even realizing it. I dream of writing a post of honor for every person I think has impacted me. I even started network-diagramming all the connections and circumstances that got me where I am today personally, professionally, and spiritually. Let’s just say my testimony of grace proves that coincidences are just God undercover. I have traced “butterflies” in my life back now to the mid-1800s.
One of the most amazing things in my study of honor is that I can honestly say I now could respectfully honor people that, by many standards, have done me wrong — because even through them, I have learned something.
I get the privilege of privately and publicly honoring pastors and teaching on honor — much because of the reward I have received from honoring people, particularly pastors.
You and I could obviously prioritize who we would honor first or most or best, but in reality, I hope we all not only honor them going forward but more importantly take the wind from each of them flapping their butterfly wings, collect that wind, and affect others for generations to come.
Honor can range from such simple things as when a teacher named Paul Wilcock talked about “selling air” and changed my thinking about almost every interaction I have with companies — to endless stories and life-changing impacts of my brother Bob and sister Lynn.
I could easily honor Sam, Don, Sam Jr. Watson that gave me that chance 32 years ago and gave me more (second) chances than anyone ever deserves. And when my amazing father died, and Mr. Watson was there for me — it’s emotional just typing this — due to the impact the Watsons have on me.
To our current and former military, law enforcement, first responders, teachers, and pastors — may the world we live in learn to properly honor you in more amazing ways than how we honor a jersey, a team, or a movie credit. Sorry we haven’t put out the red carpet for you all. Next time you see one of these amazing people in line in front of you at a restaurant, just pay for their meal. It is NOTHING compared to the honor they deserve.
I honor the countless pastors… not enough Kleenex for that post. 1 Timothy 5:17.
I could continuously honor an amazing woman — Diane, my best friend and wife of 22 years — that from the day in Building B when we met through today has bestowed more upon me than I could ever understand. Truly a gift from God.
Recently Seth Godin talked about how a person’s resume is not really about “careers” or “jobs” but about “projects.” And I think about what binds all these projects in my 32 years — it is the relationships, and how much honor the amazing people acting as butterflies should get for helping me through them.
I encourage you to get Andy Andrews’ book The Butterfly Effect and John Bevere’s Honor’s Reward.
I leave you with Zig Ziglar’s great practical example: his Wall of Gratitude. Would you be willing to have a Wall of Gratitude in your home, office, or on your social media?
What does your Wall of Gratitude look like? Remember, honor is greater than “endorsements” or “recommendations.” Honor your butterflies with a phone call or a handwritten note today.
Thank you to all my butterflies — the ones I know, the ones I have sadly forgotten, and the ones I may never know about.