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If we are paying attention, wisdom can enter our life from almost anywhere. Life lessons are abundantly available for those who are open to learning. This is the story of one such lesson that could have been easily overlooked.
It seems that every small town has a least one local gas station, and that’s the setting for this story. We have one on the edge of town that’s run by an easy going guy named Jimmy. Now for those of you who are accustom to self service gas stations, allow me to adjust your perspective slightly.
Once upon a time
You see, years ago we referred to them as service stations rather than gas stations. The reason? Well, because they offered services that are extremely rare these days. They would wash your windshield, check the air pressure in your tires, and even open the hood and look around.
In Oregon, there are no self service gas stations. In fact, it’s against the law to pump your own gas. So as unlikely as it may seem, the spirit of the old service station still exists. This is especially true in smaller towns.
Anyway, Jimmy meets a lot of people in the course of his job, including newcomers who are just moving here. There is one particular question that he is asked fairly often. I feel that his answer reflects a real depth of understanding and insight into human nature. That’s what I want to share it with you.
The question for wisdom
When people move here they are usually curious about about quite a few things. One of the most common questions they ask is: “What are the people like around here?”
Now that’s a perfectly normal question, but it’s also open to interpretation because it calls for an opinion. Well, Jimmy uses that question to gain insight into those curious newcomers, and offer an opportunity for self examination to those who are really listening.
His insightful response
When someone says, “we just moved here and we were wondering, what are the people like around here?” Here’s how he responds. Rather than giving his opinion, Jimmy answers them with another question, one that can be quite revealing. He asks, “What are the people like in the town where you just moved from?”
Now, instead of giving them his opinion, he gets to listen to theirs. Interestingly, no matter how they answer his question, his response is always the same. In fact, his response is the key to the life lesson I want to share with you today. Let’s consider two possible scenarios.
What were your old neighbors like?
If they tell him something like: “The people where we came from were hard to get along with. We lived there for six years and didn’t even know our neighbors. It was the most unfriendly place we have ever lived.” Then Jimmy says, “That’s what the people around here are like also.”
On the other hand, if they say something like: “The people where we just moved from are wonderful. We were friends with all of our neighbors. It was the nicest group of people we have ever lived around.” Then Jimmy says, “That’s what the people are like around here also.”
What’s the lesson here?
As it turns out, Jimmy knows something about human nature that many people fail to recognize. He understands that life is about perspective and attitude. We are the ones who decide what to make out of our circumstances. In other words, we bring it with us wherever we go.
If we have a good attitude about the people around us, that’s what we project. If we have a bad attitude, then that’s what we project. Whatever we project will be reflected back on us by our environment. To a huge degree, we live in a world of our own making.
What kind of world do you live in?
Now it’s time for each of us to ask ourselves, “What are the people like where I live?” You see, changing neighborhoods, jobs, friends, or even marriage mates won’t necessarily make life better.
If we want to improve the quality of our lives and our relationships, then we need to start a little closer to home. We need to think about what kind of attitude we are projecting into the world we live in. We can’t move away from our own attitude. If we want to live in a better world, we need to start with a better attitude.
My book TRUE SELF is the fastest inexpensive way (coaching is the fastest) to make positive life changes very quickly. Do you want to discover your core passions, dismantle your hidden, limiting beliefs, and realize your most desired goals? TRUE SELF will guide you through the process.
