Rick Knight
graphic designer and Social Media Manager in Denver, Colorado, United States
Everything is teaching.
There are those times–those energizing moments–when you know you’ve made someone’s life better. Perhaps the change you’ve inspired is a small one but you know it’s something will make their life a little better. It might be a clearer way to reach a destination, or an easier way to absorb important information. Perhaps it's a keyboard shortcut in their favorite software title, or a strategy for searching with Google. It may be a different approach to their smart phone camera but, in every case, it’s a bit of information they can use right now. The effect is immediate and persistent.
Best of all–and this is the ultimate achievement–you may have changed the way they think about the next obstacle they encounter. You may have taught them to learn in a different way, to suss out a solution on their own, without asking for help. They’ll feel good about themselves. I can think of little more rewarding than knowing I’ve helped them get there, even (or, perhaps, especially) if they don’t see or remember my role in the whole thing.