#starfish

What recording with Matt Friedman taught me about making an impact. 

I recorded with Matt on a rainy day. Looking down on misty Hong Kong from a highrise in Central, I could not help but feel a bit mellow. I had seen Matt speak at a panel discussion and I was impressed by Matt’s work with the Mekong Club and his passionate call to action motivating the audience to share what they learned about human trafficking with others.

I went home and watched his Ted Talk right away. Minutes into the talk I was in tears, and that’s when I knew I wanted to make sure that as many people as possible also learn about the horrific reality of modern day slavery.

The day we recorded I had just gotten my voice back. A nasty cold had been bothering me for the last week or so. I was in the midsts of getting the first live recording Fashion with #impact ready, and my mind was pretty much all over the place. I remember knocking the microphone over with the big scarf I had wrapped around my sore throat at least five times when setting up the equipment before I decided that it was better to take it off. Yep, I got that moment on tape in the pre-recording what was pretty hilarious because you hear me talking to myself about leaving the scarf on in the air-conditioned room or not.

Although it was a very hectic day for me, once we hit record I was drawn in by Matt’s story, his infectious drive, and his honesty. An hour flew by just like that. 

Starting this Podcast and building an audience I do question what impact these interviews are making all the time. I check numbers of downloads, I post quotes of my guests on Social Media and get excited to see when people are commenting and leaving 5 star ratings on iTunes for #impact Podcast. Every single comment means everything and the encouragement that I receive from the guests on my show and the people around me keeps me going.

So what did Matt teach me about making an impact? 

Every little thing, every little action, every little contribution counts. It counts. And I will keep reminding myself of just that. Every interview I do, every story I tell, counts. 

In the email correspondence I have with Matt, he thanks me for doing these Podcasts. I could not believe it when I first read his encouraging note, because it is me who has to thank my guests for their valuable time and their trust. So reading his thank you messages moved me. “Thank you for doing these Podcasts. They are so important. Many people will benefit from the range of different perspectives,” Matt writes.

If there is just one person out there that will take action, be it by volunteering, by sharing what they learned with others, by donating to causes they care about or by starting their impact organization, then it is already worth it.

Maybe you, yes YOU, are that one person. Thank YOU for reading. Thank YOU for listening. 

Do you know the Starfish Parable? Matt tells it beautifully. Find his interview here. 

There is something else Matt wrote the other day: “If we could come up with two characteristics that would help the world to be a much better place they would include: being both humble and compassionate.  These two characteristics alone would change the world.” These characteristics for sure apply to Matt.