Do you appreciate or tolerate?

Tolerate is the verb of diversity, and it is a poor choice.

tol·er·ate, verb.
a:  to allow to be or to be done without prohibition, hindrance, or contradiction
b:  to put up with; to put up with something trying or painful.

Is tolerance the best we can hope for today? A worldwide connection of people offering the best of every corner of the globe is at our fingertips. Why do we choose to describe this interconnectedness with merely "putting up" with one another?

Where do you define the limits of acceptable diversity; race, political, religious, sexual orientation, fiscal, or sports teams? What worldviews are your third rail and will never be included within your definition of acceptable diversity? We conveniently affix the label of "phobia" to the category outside the acceptable diversity circle, add in a bit of "ignorant," and they are now perfectly dead to us. God help us if they show up to the Thanksgiving table and don't talk to me about toleration!

We teach our kids to embrace their own interests, talents, what makes them unique, and encourage play with others on the playground. We repost our favorite memes that encourage following your own path but bristle when someone follows through and shares a different worldview.

Let's try "appreciate" instead of "tolerate" as the diversity verb of choice.

ap·pre·ci·ate, verb.
a:  to grasp the nature, worth, quality, or significance of
b:  to judge with heightened perception or understanding: be fully aware of
c:  to recognize with gratitude

Appreciation forces a discussion to understand, instead of relying upon a comfortable judgment and issuing a dismissive stereotype. It is a rare individual that has achieved all wisdom without a journey. Perhaps you and I have not reached enlightenment yet. Just maybe, one of those "third rail" people has something to teach us.

Those other kids on the playground talk funny, have names difficult to pronounce, dress weird, and eat strange foods. However, since we are grownups, maybe we appreciate the diversity of the other "kids" on the playground. From the moon's perspective, we are all in this together. Tolerance is easy; appreciation is hard, thankfully someone has been doing it for us.

Going Further: What relationship needs to shift to appreciation? What are your "third rail" topics? What groups do you refuse to integrate into your "diversity" definition?

Definition Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/

How does your dream provide service?

I know you want food on the table, kids in college and a little bling on the finger, but how does fulfillment of your dream serve others? Does realizing your dream primarily build the empire for you or does it have a primary mission to provide service to others and fulfill your dream along the way?

This inquiry surfaced when Tim Ferriss discussed life lessons with Shep Gordon, an influential manager to many in the entertainment and celebrity chef worlds. He has been near to the famous and those that have lost their way during the last half century.

Shep sees his life as a manager, as a way to serve his clients and fulfill the vision they have for their career. He has resisted the temptation to make his career primarily about his success, but recognized serving was the way to make the greatest impact.

You pour creativity and innovative energy into the vision you have that will change your world. The blood, sweat and tears, late nights, and missing the kid's sports games to turn this dream into a tangible asset you can hold in your hands. The sacrifice is real, as you juggle the responsibilities of life with those you love and the lives you seek to impact the lives at the other end of the Internet.

The time spent in penthouses and fancy cars is no doubt fun, but the opportunity to significantly impact another life is an awesome privilege. If you are reading this, you qualify as one that can impact lives through love, care, empathy, and service.

In your pursuit of making a positive impact in the lives of those around you, you will be taken advantage of, and you will be wronged. This doesn't mean it is not worth the risk. The privilege that comes with the opportunity to pursue and realize our dreams is great and must be used for good.

Going Further: Is service part of your dream? How can service be realized while pursuing the dream? How do you intend to provide service to others through realizing your dream? What is the worst and best outcome on others when your dream is realized? How will you tip the scales for the best outcome? What question was missed?