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New
Friends
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Ridgely Goldsborough
Brian bounded around the corner with customary zeal.
I grinned ear to ear when I saw him.
In tow, a woman from Oklahoma named Dusty kept pace, with a bright smile and a lovely energy.
We met, introduced ourselves and started walking toward the restaurant for dinner.
Without hesitation, we fell into lively conversation, throwing ideas and concepts back and forth, sharing thoughts and looking at possibilities.
I asked myself what created the space for such a strong connection between people who barely knew each other.
The answer came quickly.
Common dreams.
As speakers, we all shared the dream of touching the lives of others with our message.
We all worked hard on opening our hearts, paying attention and seeking and searching for value to convey through our words.
In the speaking world, very few isolate or cocoon away from their comrades.
Rather, a keen sense of partnership and union punctuates most encounters.
I pondered this, too.
What happened to the dog eat dog vibe, the race to the top, the ferocious competition that plagues hardcore business?
Why don’t I see that here?
Again, the answer quickly arrived.
Because that would never work.
No one could stand on a stage espousing values of character and integrity, teaching principles of success or methods of overcoming obstacles without having their own material rub off on themselves—at least not for any prolonged period.
What does this tell us?
Do we really walk our talk?
Does our talk guide our actions?
At least to some degree, the answer is a resounding "yes".
We fragile humans feel too at odds with ourselves to say one thing and do another on a continuous basis.
It haunts us and torments us, gives rise to insidious inner turmoil.
It causes dis-ease.
Therefore, we need pay close attention to who we spend our time with, what input we receive that shapes our minds and touches our hearts.
If we hang around with shoplifters, we learn how to shoplift.
More damaging than the method, we also create the mindset of a shoplifter, a taking without contributing, false entitlement, loser mentality that carries over into all other activities.
Dangerous and frightening.
Personally, I choose my company carefully.
I want to surround myself with true friends, those that don’t shy away from my dreams and welcome help with their own, those that can celebrate the successes of others and offer encouragement in a down moment.
I want win-win relationships.
I glanced around the table and took in the heated banter, the delightful interchange between folks who had spent hardly more than an hour in each other’s company.
It reminded me of how little time it takes to make new friends.
www.aviewfromtheridge.com
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ridgely began scribbling as soon as his fingers could curl around a pen. So began a love affair, interrupted periodically by schooling, business and any number of self-initiated distractions to mask the fear of pursuing his childhood dream-to be a writer.
The journey took him through Law School, a number of private companies, going public, a large merger and back to his desk, a computer with a keyboard and the daily challenge of following the dream.
Along the way, Ridgely founded and/or acted as publisher for Network Marketing Lifestyles magazine, Domain Street magazine and the Upline Journal along with dozens of books, audio and video materials. He writes several books per year, in addition to The Daily Column.
Ridgely holds an undergraduate degree from The University of Virginia, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law, is fluent in five languages and has spoken to audiences throughout Europe, Southeast Asia, Mexico and North America.
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