Monday Motivation, 11.2.2020

Written by: Stacy Tolbert

Every Monday, The Rogers-Long Team meets for one of its two weekly meetings. The Monday meeting always ends with “Monday Motivation” in which a few minutes are spent listening to one team member presenting a quote, a quick reading from a book, a scene from a movie, or anything else they find motivating to provide a “spark” to the whole team on a Monday morning.

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty” – Mahatma Ghandi

Society is the key to humanity and throughout time there have been several characteristics that we keep in common, -lust, power hunger, love, faith, fear of death, curiosity. Humanity is an important part of our daily lives because it is about helping others, not sitting back and be an observer.  Does the elderly gentleman need help crossing the street? Do you help or brush past him because you are in a hurry? Did you just witness a car accident? Are you stopping or swerving around because you just don’t have the time to be inconvenienced? Someone at the store knocks over the display of oranges do you roll your eyes and back up and go the other way, or do you stop and help pick up?

Naturally, there are many examples of when someone is in need and, my inclination is to usually help but the last instinct is to pull out my phone and record. To recount a story I have heard, a man pulls up to a car accident where the car is on fire. He hops out and desperately tries to help get the door open and pull the two men in the car out. Off in the short distance are about a dozen people, not calling 911, not helping but just recording what was happening.  

Now imagine that was you and your family in that situation. You are sitting in a car that is on fire and people are just standing around recording you and not helping. Yes, this is an extreme situation and not one that you will likely run across in your lifetime, but the principal of the matter is the same. Instead of whipping out your phone to document the moment, offer your help instead.

It seems we may be less likely to help these days because we also lack humility. “Humility may be a shield we use to avoid showing ourselves to the world, to avoid being vulnerable. Because it is only when we are vulnerable that we can truly contribute to the world.  Vulnerability and success are linked … the act of achieving requires you to put some of you out there for others to see. It also requires of to view ourselves. Humility may also require that we view ourselves of secondary importance when compared to those around us, focusing more on others than ourselves.  What we get confused here is that the gifts we were born with that define our humanity aren’t for us … they are for us to use in service of others in some way.  They are gifts for us to give … not for us to keep to ourselves.  Equally important, and perhaps the core of humility, is to also acknowledge what we are not.  Being clear on that allows us to move towards our talents rather than to struggle to engage with something that is meant for others to excel at.” – Ian Munro

So in our selfie society, record everything so your tik tok and you tube channel ratings can soar, maybe get your face out from behind the phone, offer that elderly gentleman your elbow and help him cross the street. One day you will be old too.

Pride is concerned with who is right and humility is concerned with what is right – Ezra Benson. 

Stacy Tolbert, The Transaction Coordinator for The Rogers-Long Team: Powered by Hometown Realty, was a client of Ben & Kevin’s in 2015. After hiring The RLT for her family’s move, Ben returned the favor and hired her to come work with the team! Stacy’s primary role is coordinating transactions from contract to close. In her spare time, you can find Stacy working in the garden, tasting Craft Beer, or managing her three fantasy football teams!