Stealing toys
And something for you for the weekend
A few months ago, I wrote a post about HOW TO FIND YOUR BIGGER WHY.
Your BIGGER WHY is the reason behind everything you do. It underpins your belief system, your values and who you are as a person. It’s the number one strongest influence on the way your life pans out.
That post became the basis of my 2024 keynote.
A couple of weeks ago I delivered the talk at ICBC bank. Afterwards an audience member came up to me. He wanted to tell me his own story. So with his permission, I’m sharing it because it perfectly demonstrates the value of knowing YOUR BIGGER WHY.
Fifty years ago, in the Somalian village of Daroor, little Ayaan was doing something he shouldn’t.
His friend Digaale had brought a little clockwork car into school and Ayaan wanted it for himself.
So when no one was looking, Ayaan went to steal the toy by slipping it into his bag.
When it was time to go home his teacher called the class together.
“Digaale’s toy has gone missing.
And no one’s going home until it’s returned to him.”
The class was silent. No one moved.
The teacher said: “Ok. I want everyone to stand in a circle with their backs to me. I will look in every single bag until I find the toy.”
Ayaan felt sick. He wished he’d owned up earlier. He turned around and faced the wall with the rest of his classmates.
The teachers’ footsteps echoed deliberately around the room. Ayaan waited.
The teacher clapped his hands.
“The toy has now been returned to its rightful owner. I will see you all tomorrow”.
Ayaan was shocked and then… dread set in. He would have to wait for his public humiliation tomorrow.
Every day for the rest of the year Ayaan was poised for the inevitable reckoning with his teacher.
But it never came.
Over time it dawned on Ayaan that the teacher chose not to say anything because he liked him. Ayaan was delighted. He began to listen more in class and become determined to please his teacher by doing well.
Ayaan grew up and years later became a teacher himself.
One day he returned to his old school.
He wanted his teacher to know how he’d inspired him. “Instead of punishing me when I stole that toy you showed me you believed in me! I wanted to do that for someone else. You’re the reason I became a teacher.”
The teacher looked confused.
'You don’t remember?' asked Ayaan.
'Oh, I remember,' said the teacher. 'But I never knew who took the toy. When I looked in the bags, I purposely didn’t look at the names.
The teacher explained that as a child, his father would punish him harshly for any misdemeanour.
“I wanted to become a teacher who trusted my kids would learn to do the right thing. And it looks like you did!”
Ayaan was my audience member's father. And we both agreed this story sums up the benefit of knowing YOUR BIGGER WHY.
Your bigger why is completely personal to you.
When you’re faced with difficulty or overwhelmed with uncertainty, knowing YOUR BIGGER WHY will help guide you how to approach it.
The two men were called to their work by two almost opposite experiences. Ayaan was inspired by a man who showed him forgiveness and understanding. His teacher was motivated by a desire not to follow in the footsteps of his harsh father.
And each of them was committed to seeing the best in their students.
As a leader (and remember, when I say leader I mean anyone who influences another in the moment) you must know YOUR BIGGER WHY
If you’d like help uncovering your BIGGER WHY I’ve created a tool which you can download here. Why not spend some time and space this weekend pondering it?
And while you’re there, have a nose around The Boost’s new website.
Please keep your BIGGER WHY stories coming. I love to hear them!
