BajaNomad

Making a difference (making a point)

BajaNomad - 8-12-2021 at 10:36 AM

By Seth Godin
Aug 12, 2021

There are countless ways to make a point. You can clearly demonstrate that you are angry, smart, concerned, stronger, faster or more prepared than the person you’re engaging with.

But making a point isn’t the same thing as making a difference.

To make a difference, we need the practical empathy to realize that the other person doesn’t know what you know, doesn’t believe what you believe and might not want what you want. We have to move from where we are and momentarily understand where they are.

When we make a point, we reject all of this. When we make a point, we establish our power in one way or another, but we probably don’t change very much.

Change comes about when the story the other person tells themselves begins to change. If all you do is make a point, you’ve handed them a story about yourself. When you make a change, you’ve helped them embrace a new story about themselves.

And even though it’s more fun (and feels safe, in some way) to make a point, if we really care, we’ll do the hard work to make a difference instead.


https://seths.blog/2021/08/making-a-difference-making-a-poin...

JDCanuck - 8-12-2021 at 11:47 AM

Great post! Perhaps what we actually do should have more importance than what we claim to be about.

[Edited on 8-12-2021 by JDCanuck]

4x4abc - 8-12-2021 at 05:11 PM

if I need to say something - I say something
don't care whether it is making a point
or making a difference
have no need of winning something
I make an effort to be as correct as possible and as kind a possible
in general, I just wanna help

you are all old enough to figure out how you want to interact with the world

RFClark - 8-12-2021 at 06:38 PM

Doug,

That probably involves not hating your fellow American because his views differ from yours!

BajaBlanca - 8-12-2021 at 09:53 PM

It is incredibly hard to make a difference. Brilliant post IMO.

JC43 - 8-13-2021 at 08:43 AM

For me, posting in BajaNomad neither is making a point nor a difference.
I am reading the posts and to those I have knowledge of, I am answering. Nothing else in mind! i.e. the actual post about >Trailer. Although I do think that trailer is nonsense (sorry to the owner and not trying to hurt your feelings) as it is not offering any sufficiant space inside but has a good size length. And the toilet right next to the kitchen! The main thing was about off road driving etc. So I tried to give an input out of my experiance - what the thread was all about. Just trying to help others w/ less experiance of towng a trailer. And I think that is what BN is all about : Questions from those who want to know something. And sufficiant input from those who have the experiance to answer. Not making a point or a difference. I think BN is not a self-presentation platform for those w/ low ego. just m.h.o.