Here is my Joyful Story:
Not long ago, I attended a seminar on strategies to introduce new clients to basic financial planning. I’ve been to several of these seminars before. So, when I was greeted at the door by someone holding a balloon in my face, I wasn’t surprised that there was going to be a gimmick. I sighed as I followed the instructions to write my name on the balloon in marker.
When the doors to the auditorium opened, the speaker instructed us to find the balloon with our names written on it. Over fifty people became increasingly frustrated as we tried to dance around each other, looking for the correct ballon. I think more than ten minutes passed without much success.
At the end of ten minutes, with only one or two people finding their balloon, the speaker said, “Grab the balloon closest to you.” The one I collected had Charlie written on it.
Next, we were told, “Find the person whose name is written on it.”
It only took a minute to find Charlie, and maybe another thirty seconds for Victoria to find me. We laughed about how easy it was to cooperate.
Finally, the speaker said, “This is always happening in our lives. We’re seeking answers on our own. We’re trying to find ourselves without knowing where we are. Little are we aware that sometimes our happiness lies in the happiness of others. If we try to make someone else happy, we may get our own happiness.”
I couldn’t tell you much about the rest of that seminar, but I’ll never forget that lesson. That message has stuck with me for several years and will stick with me for many more.
by Steven Perrin
Follow D. A. Callens on Twitter to get updates on the Joyful Project and more!
