This story was first told to me by the founder of the Educational Funding Company (EFC). It’s about two friends who meet after a long time. One of them, Michael, is highly successful, upbeat, and doing great in his business. The other is down in the dumps, demoralized, and struggling. The struggling friend asks Michael, “What in the world are you doing? You look great, and your business is going well. What’s your secret?”
Michael replies, “I went to see the guru.”
Surprised, his friend asks, “Are you serious?”
Michael confirms, “Yes, I went to see the guru.”
His friend is curious and asks, “Well, where is the guru?”
Michael explains, “The guru is way up in the mountains in Tibet.”
Astonished, his friend says, “Holy Mackerel, you went all the way there?”
Michael nods, “Yes, I did.”
“What did he tell you?” his friend asks eagerly.
Michael replies, “He gave me three words that have totally changed my life.”
Impatiently, his friend asks, “Well, for Pete’s sake, Michael. Tell me what the three words are.”
Michael says, “It doesn’t work that way. You’re going to have to get some transportation and go up to see the guru yourself. But I can tell you this, it’ll change your life, and it’s well worth the trip.”
Out of sheer desperation, the struggling friend decides to go. He takes an airplane, a boat, a bus, a truck, and finally a mule to reach the guru high up in the mountains of Tibet. He is met by a monk who says, “I’m going to take you to meet the guru. You have to promise to be totally quiet and silent.”
The First Word: Humility
The monk ushers him into the temple where the guru is sitting, surrounded by beautiful flowers and total serenity. The friend sits quietly in front of the guru for what seems like long, endless moments. Finally, the guru says one word: “Humility.”
Confused, the friend is led outside by the monk who thanks him for coming. “Wait a minute. Is that it?” he asks. The monk confirms, “Yes.”
“But all he said was ‘humility.’ What am I supposed to do?”
The monk advises, “You should take that word and contemplate and think about it.”
On his long journey back home, he starts to think deeply about humility. He realizes that being humble doesn’t mean being weak. It means being gracious, receptive, kind, patient, open-minded, loving, and considerate of others. As he delves into the meaning of the word, his character begins to transform.
He learns that humility also means putting aside pride and ego and being more interested in a higher purpose or divine will. This realization invigorates his life. People start to approach him, and his relationships become more harmonious.
One day, Mrs. Murphy comes to see him, angry and wanting to cancel her son Eric’s martial arts lessons. Normally, he would have been defensive, but this time, he responds with humility. He thanks her for coming and offers to give Eric private lessons to work with him personally.
Mrs. Murphy recognizes his humility and agrees. He works with Eric warmly and sincerely, helping him build self-confidence and self-awareness. Eric begins to enjoy his lessons again, and Mrs. Murphy calls to express her gratitude, noting the positive changes in her son.
Inspired, the friend decides to go back to the guru to find out the second word.
The Second Word: Gratitude
He makes the long journey back and sits quietly before the guru. This time, the guru says, “Gratitude.”
Understanding the importance of this word, the friend returns home and contemplates gratitude. He realizes it means more than just saying “thanks.” It involves deep appreciation and expressing it through actions.
He begins to focus on the positive aspects of his life—his health, home life, business, students, and loyal staff members. He starts expressing his gratitude to those around him.
One day, he expresses his gratitude to a staff member he hadn’t been getting along with. He acknowledges the staff member’s contributions and apologizes for his previous criticisms. This act of gratitude transforms their relationship, boosting the staff member’s enthusiasm and punctuality.
As he continues to express gratitude, his entire life improves. His business flourishes, his staff becomes more committed, and positive changes abound.
The Third Word: Joy
Feeling wonderful and deeply grateful, he decides to return to the guru for the third word. Once again, he makes the arduous journey and sits quietly before the guru. The guru asks, “How do you feel?”
“I feel wonderful,” he replies.
“What else?” asks the guru.
“I feel very happy.”
“What else?”
“I feel positive and I feel progress.”
“What else?”
“I feel joy.”
The guru smiles and says, “That’s it. You have at last arrived. If you deeply and continuously feel joy, you now have the essence of life. You must express that joy and go forward in demonstrating your humility and gratitude. Always be joyous. Be a force of joy. Express that in your business, in your personal life, and with your personnel who love working with you and look forward to your support.”
Conclusion
This story highlights the importance of humility, gratitude, and joy in life and business. These qualities can transform relationships, enhance personal growth, and lead to greater success and fulfillment.
In the many years that I’ve watched successful people work with their personnel, these are the qualities I’ve spotted. Each successful person who gathered a terrific staff and had a great business exhibited these traits. Whether they had been to see the guru or not, they sure had what it takes.