When we pursue our calling, we are aiming to benefit others and live our legacy, but often when we pursue our calling, when we step into our awesomeness, there are side effects we may not have been expecting. One of these side effects is that we pull others into their calling when they see us pursuing our calling.
When they see us pursue our calling, it gives others hope. Suddenly pursuing a calling doesn’t seem so impossible anymore. We will see in our wake, others who are living their greatness. We may not even have interacted with these folk. They are inspired just by watching us.
Here are two examples that show this phenomenon.
Jonathan
The first example about Jonathan from the first book of Samuel in the Old Testament.
(13) Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.
Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.
Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. Then Saul said to the men who were with him, “Muster the forces and see who has left us.” When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there.
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(20) Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle.
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(22) When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit.
When Jonathan pursued his calling, it pulled in Saul and his army along with all the people hiding in the hills. It took Jonathan following his calling for others to take action.
Rudisha
The second example I read in, Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average and Do Work that Matters by Jon Acuff. I highly recommend this book if you’ve not read it.
On page 143, it reads:
I think the best way to know if you’re really helping people is to observe the pace of everyone else who is running with you.
In the 2012 Summer Olympics, Kenyan David Rudisha set the world record in the 800-meter race. On the surface, that is not so amazing. Lots of records were set during the games, and lots of people got gold medals. Usain Bolt got considerably more press than Rudisha. But in many ways, Rudisha’s race was far more amazing not because of what he accomplished with his running, but because of what his running inspired in every other runner in the race. Seven of the eight runners set their personal bests during the race. The last-place runner was the fastest last place in the history of the event.
David Symmonds, the American, came in fifth, which isn’t great until you look at the history books. Symmonds’s fifth-place time would have won him a gold medial in 2008. And 2004. And 2000. In fact, Symmonds’s fifth-place finish would have been good enough for a gold in every Olympics, except one, since 1896.
How were so many athletes able to achieve so much in one race?
Someone set the pace a little ahead of them. Or as “The Guardian” reported, “Rudisha pulled the field around behind him, like a speedboat leading seven water-skiers.”
The other runners couldn’t help but raise their game that night. Rudisha’s pursuit of awesome was infectious.
When we are profoundly exceptional in our pursuits, making the world a better place, we will inspire others to do the same. And this too makes the world a better place.
