Is bigger better?

Is bigger better?

We supersize our fries. We like tall buildings. We love robust numbers and high attendance. We thrive on growth and measurable progress year over year. Bigger means better...right? More = progress, right? But consider those events, people, and seasons in your own life that left impressions or influenced you the most. Think about the occasions, moments or individuals who have had the greatest impact. Was impact tied to a huge event? Was better always tied to something bigger? How much impact happened in the small moments, the private conversations, the encouraging word, or the daily routine... When we think about it, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴?

As social entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders we can get caught in the trap. We can focus on numbers, the big or the splashy and lose sight of the moments where lives are changed. The tendency to mistake big for better is a slippery slope worth resisting. So what's the lesson?

✔️ Look for meaning in the small. Life-changing encounters and conversations may happen 1:1 not in a large conference venue. A phone call or a chat over coffee could forever change the trajectory of someone's life. Don't miss the value that happens in the day-to-day non-spotlighted moments.

✔️ Value qualitative not (just) quantitative. Changed lives happen one at a time. They don't happen in bulk. Each one touched, informed, educated, and encouraged matters. All forms of moving forward, making progress, and leaving people better than they were matters. A speech to the thousands may seem more impressive, but the quiet moments around a table matter too. Find those places where relationship, mentorship and influence leave a lasting impact on the heart.

✔️ Be quick to listen. Listen for stories of impact. Listen to testimonies of progress and lives changed through your work. Hear the transformations that happened in private moments, not public ones. Let listening be your encourager as you hear the impact of mission on individual lives.

Your work matters. Serving others matters. Don't let the numbers game trip you up. Don't strive for bigger; strive for better. They are not the same.