When I think of the power of one, I think of the honeybee and what one bee is able to accomplish:
- One worker honeybee lives approximately five weeks.
- One worker honeybee visits 50-100 flowers during a single flight from the hive.
- A honey bee produces about one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its life time and a bee colony can produce 80-100 lbs of honey in a year.
- An average hive must fly over 100,000 miles to produce two pounds of honey.
- Honeybees are responsible for pollinating 80% of all vegetable, fruit, and seed crops in the United States.
- Honeybee pollination contributes $14.6 billion yearly to agriculture
Individually and collectively a bee contributes to agriculture, food production, the economy, and our well being and health.
If bees can contribute so much in their short lifespan, think of the human potential.
Everything starts with one; one idea acted upon that becomes a reality to change something in the world. History has given us great examples of individuals who have made a positive difference in history, with one idea, one thought, one action. Think about Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and the good they have done in the world. The power of one also applies to individuals that have ravaged the world and contributed to death and destruction.
Many of us want to make some kind of a positive difference during out lifetime -I think it must be built into our DNA. The difference doesn’t have to be world changing-it can be as simple and complicated as breaking a generational pattern in a family. Be assured that the difference we make in our corner of the world will have a ripple effect.
Maybe you are skeptical… think about the boss you had who treated you with respect and valued you. Did that motivate you to do better? What impact did it have on your work, self worth, and relationships? Think about the impact that boss had on others on the team if they also felt respected and valued. Did their work, self worth and relationships improve? What in turn happened to the productivity, satisfaction and well being of the organization? It likely improved.
Every new year brings new hope; to do better, be healthy, accomplish more, spend quality time with family and friends, and so on. Some people will make resolutions; others will make plans. I challenge you to think about the power of one-YOU- What difference do you want to make in the next year? Make it whatever you want. See the difference in yourself and see the ripple effect on others. Track it, see what your metrics show.
If a bee can make a difference, so can you.
May 2023 be a most excellent year for you!
Photo by Slashio Photography on Unsplash
Leadership Mindset 