Make Your Mark on the World with Ripples Instead of a Splash

“Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.” — Proverb

Splashes get attention. They’re big. They can be exciting and draw a lot of attention.

They’re also “one and done”, messy, and super annoying if they hit you in the face.

Yet, for some reason, we seem drawn to making a splash.

I want to change the world.

That’s not too much to ask, is it?

I’m not the only one who wants to make an impact. It’s a nearly universal human drive.

We want to be remembered. We want to leave the world better than we found it. We want to be important to someone or something.

Combine those desires with social media and the glorification of overnight success stories, and it’s not uncommon to feel like you should be able to create an instant, and monumental impact. A SPLASH!

Without that splash, it’s easy to lose sight of the ways your life is influencing others. I fall into that trap myself at times.

Pour your efforts into making ripples.

It’s a hell-of-a-lot more productive than having angst over a perceived failure to create a splash.

What small step can you take on a regular basis? Is there one person you can help?

If you’re not sure where to begin, get quiet in prayer or meditation and ask. Don’t be afraid to trust your instincts.

Take a step with consistency, and commit to sticking with it. Then take another. You don’t have to see the immediate effects, but know they’re happening.

The most iconic influencers in history utilized the ripple effect.

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples” — Mother Teresa

Long after they’re gone, their ripples continue.

It’s easy to think the big names in contribution made an instant splash. In reality, you don’t see the small but consistent efforts over time that led up to a big enough ripple to get noticed.

So follow their lead. Create ripples and relish in their beauty.

Enjoy the beauty of the ripple.

Ripples have harmony. They stretch out beyond your ability to perceive. They broadcast out in a full circle.

They seem to move effortlessly as if guided by the wisdom of nature.

Trust you’re part of a grand ripple. Maybe you started it, or maybe you’re a ring within an existing ripple.

Either way, you’re in sync with a vibration of love and service.

Be ok with not seeing the end result of your ripple.

We all love a good pat on the back, and you’ll get that occasionally, but mostly you’ll wonder if anything you do makes a difference.

If you have to see the end result of your ripple, you’re focusing on the wrong thing. A need for recognition or reward comes from your ego.

You want to not be able to see the end result of your ripple because that means it’s carried out far beyond your ability to see it in your human lifetime. That’s your legacy.

This doesn’t mean you stop taking risks and making bold moves.

Plenty of small steps require big courage.

Daring to do something against the norm, being willing to make a mistake, putting the money where your mouth is, looking different…

These are all ripple inducers that take guts.

Creating ripples is the opposite of playing it small. It means you’re in it for the long haul. It’s a purpose and not a whim.

You ARE making a difference.

Keep reminding yourself of your impact.

Whose lives have you touched? Who did you make smile? What problems did you solve? What contribution did you make?

Acknowledge you’re making a difference, and let that embolden you to take new steps. Each step reaching out beyond the previous one.

You’re going to make an impact in this world one way or another. Let’s make it intentional. Create your ripples for the things you want to see in this world.

Thanks for reading.

If you’ve doubted your impact, read these:

Your Impact is so much Bigger than You Know

I Promise You, You’re Making Progress, You Just Don’t Know it