Sending Postcards
Recently at work, we were given a handful of branded “Thank You” postcards to send out to our clients during the holiday season, if we felt inclined to. Not required, but suggested. We were discussing the cards on a call and someone commented, “Handwritten notes never go out of style.”
This got my brain gears turning.
People appreciate effort. It doesn’t have to be exorbitant or unprecedented. Just a little more than what’s expected.
The interesting observation about today’s disconnected and too-comfortable world is that any additional effort can oftentimes be received as exorbitant or unprecedented.
Take for instance the printed postcard with a handwritten note. The amount of time it takes to handwrite the note, put the stamp on the postcard, and put it in the mailbox is not much greater than the time it takes to craft a personalized email to send off to all your clients as a gesture of appreciation. But, the postcard stands out, because it’s just a little more effort than sending an email. It requires a few extra steps that many would scoff at, and that’s why it’s appreciated.
Or take an ultramarathon, for example. I’ve run a few, and plan to keep running them until they no longer serve me. I also know a plethora of individuals who run them farther, more often, and with much better results than myself. I might not ever win a notable race throughout my entire running “career”, and that’s ok. I’ll still sign up for them because I enjoy them. But, to the non-runner, completing an ultra requires a level of effort that they have a tough time comprehending, and that’s why they appreciate what ultrarunners regularly do.
We love to see people putting a little extra of themselves into the activities that they do or the relationships that they foster and maintain. It’s refreshing and inspiring to see genuine effort, even if it’s only a little more than expected.
I think it lends itself to a “pay-it-forward” mentality. The more effort you witness in your life, the more willing you are to increase your effort. An ongoing cycle of effort, cultivating an environment for yourself and those around you to grow.
Where could you add some extra effort in your life to get a little closer to achieving your goals?
Where could you add some extra effort in your life to inspire someone else to achieve theirs?
