Leaving Your Mark When You Move

A Preschool Pick-up Line and Leaving Your Mark

Last week I was headed into pick -up my daughter from preschool and saw what would normally have been an unremarkable and boring white line in the concrete.  However, it was broken up and marred by the most perfect imprint of a leaf.  That little crunchy fragile leaf had left a pretty dramatic effect on the much stronger paint and concrete.  Originally, when they were painting the parking lot, I bet no one even realized that they had painted over it.  To them, it became invisible.

Leaving Your Mark

Growing up I remember going camping a lot with family.  We were always told to leave a campsite better than when we got there and that in doing so, we were making the space better for all those who would use the area after us.  There was no monetary value in this, no personal gain other than the satisfaction of doing something for others.  The impact of doing this may not have been seen immediately or ever even noticed but it was there.  We were leaving an invisible marker, one that had the ability to effect others.

What we often do as business owners is behind the scenes and maybe only a 1/3 of what we actually do is out there for the world to see.  We pour our hearts into what we do and just like that leaf, we may feel flattened, painted over, and sometimes forgotten.  OUCH!  That thought is painful for those of us that feel called to this business we have built.  We want to leave our mark.  To say, “WE ARE HERE.”

A Long Lasting Effect

You may be feeling like that leaf right now, completely invisible to others, but I want you to look closer at this photo and at your business.  That leaf may have been invisible for a time and is now long gone but it’s impact is far reaching and permanent.  What you are doing has a lasting impact.  You may not feel it right now but it is there!  Keep showing up, day after day to make your mark and the proof will eventually shine through!  You’ve got this!!!