Rumi, You, and Your Business!

Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi, the 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, Islamic scholar, mystic, and theologian, commonly known as Rumi, left us with so many inspiring quotes, poetry, and teachings. Though he’s been deceased since 1273, his words and philosophies continue to be timeless pieces that we can all still apply to so many aspects of our lives, and certainly in our businesses. One of the themes of his teachings being one must endure, or even welcome adversities, in order to truly transform into the ultimate versions of ourselves. While every one of Rumi’s quotes can be examined and each one turns into think pieces, the one I’ve been particularly inspired by this week is “Be a lamp, or a lifeboat, or a ladder. Help someone’s soul heal. Walk out of your house like a Sheppard”.

In its most basic form, this quote is simply asking us to be of service. And of course, service is or should be at the heart of why every business exists. Here are some ideas of how you can incorporate this Rumi quote into your business by…?

Being a lamp:?

• Smile – A beautiful smile goes a long way in making others feel seen and understood
• Offer a product or service to bring more clarity to your customers and employees
• Ex:? One product we’re particularly proud to offer here is the Business Operations Playbook, which provides clarity to our clients on how to set up their business processes
• Light the path for others by positioning yourself or your organization as a resource for them to leverage for their own success
• Set up your business operations to make interactions with your organization easy and light

Being a Lifeboat:?

When I think of lifeboats, my mind always goes straight to the scene in the movie Titanic when the lifeboats finally came to rescue those who were still left on the sinking ship.?

• Pass the information on! When you hear of an opportunity, share it
• Connect customers or other organizations to information or resources (grants, tools, best practices, etc) to advance their goals
• Provide crucial lessons that you’ve picked up along the way either throughout your career or in business to others new to the field. Consider how your organization can serve as an SME or mentor to others
• Provide services or products to save others time, and money, or literally save lives.?

Being a Ladder:?

• Offer services, products, or even one-off opportunities to others to enable or support them to become better, more evolved versions of themselves
• Make it easier for people to access your network by making introductions, offering referrals, writing reviews, or speaking kindly about others
• Offer services that enable others to become more successful in their careers and businesses.?
• Ex: One of my passions is working with business owners or executives to take new products or services to market. It’s such a fulfilling feeling to help bring ideas to live

How are you charting the way for others to make the path easier for them? If you are asking yourself these questions every day, success can’t but find you. Let’s chat! How can I be of service to you and your organization this week?