We don’t do it alone.

During his keynote speech at World Domination Summit, the comedian / actor / writer Zack Anner openly expressed his gratitude for his best friend. Since Kindergarten, this person has been a constant companion for Zack (who has Cerebral Palsy & is wheelchair-bound). As result of the love of his friend, Zack has had opportunities, experiences and joys that would have otherwise never been possible.

Zack then set a homework task for everyone in the audience; think of someone who was there for you at some point in your life—someone who helped you grow—then, during lunch break call them, and thank them.

I called my Mum.

Too hard basket.

As a child, I wanted to learn piano.

I was intrinsically motivated to do it, and happily took to it. However, after I’d been learning piano for a little less than a year, the initial novelty period of exciting discovery was over, and I had crossed over the line from ‘happy-challenging-task’ to ‘too-hard-basket’. Piano had become a chore.

I hadn’t even really crossed that far over the line. On the whole, I was still really enjoying piano, but my attention had waned slightly in the face of the challenge that comes with a new task. In fairness, I was a 9 year old kid.

I remember going to my Mum. The conversation went something like this:

Me: Hi Mum!

Mum: Hi darling.

Me: I think I’m going to quit piano.

Mum: No.

[Pause]

Me: …no?

Mum: [Calm. Not to be argued with]
 No. Sorry, but no.

Me: Oh…kay.

Thanks Mum.

Tough times, even mild ones, can make us want to give up. Sometimes, we just need a little time to rediscover the magic. Or perhaps for someone to tell us—with all the love in the world—to get back to work.