I have a great friend, Jim Rohn, who is probably the classiest business teacher on the planet. He is in his 70s, and has spoken to millions around the world; perhaps you have heard him speak.
Jim was traveling in Carmel, California, with his wife before they were married, and they pulled up to a gas station. The attendant cleaned the windows and offered to vacuum their car; he was very friendly.
Jim said, “By the way, it’s a hot day, and we’d like to get a milkshake. Where would you recommend?”
“That place over there has the best milkshakes in the world,” he responded.
Jim and his lady went over and got the milkshakes and came around the block with one each for the two of them and one extra.
They drove back to the gas station, and the young man came out and said, “Did I do something wrong?” They said, “No, you did everything right. We were so touched that we wanted to give you this milkshake.” The guy said that nobody had ever done that before.
A Change of Heart
Jim tells that story around the world. The father of two teenage girls was in the audience one time when Jim told the story. Jim finished his talk saying to the audience, “You and I will meet in the future. When we do, I hope to hear your stories and how your lives have improved.”
The father had been thinking about his relationship with his daughters. They were always asking to go to rock concerts. He used to give the girls money and say, “If you want to go to that rock concert, take the money and go.”
He had no dignity, class, or style; he just had money. He didn’t have the total picture yet. Hearing Jim Rohn talk made an impression upon him.
Sometime later the father came back and told us, “I heard you hold up the mirror. I got to look in the mirror and saw for the first time that I had no class. I did not have dignity, and I was not treating my daughters with style. They wanted to go to another concert. So, I decided this time I was going to do it right. I pre-purchased the tickets and put them in an envelope. I gave them the envelopes and told them they couldn’t open the tickets until they got there.’”
When they arrived, they handed the usher the tickets. The usher said, “Third row, orchestra center aisle. The best seats in the house.”
They grabbed him and said, “Don’t take us down there. Dad buys the nosebleed seats. Dad is rich, but cheap. We usually sit behind a pole. He would never buy the good seats. You have got to be kidding. Don’t embarrass us by dragging us in the middle of the aisle.”
The usher said, “There is no mistake here. You have the best seats in the house.” The girls came home that night and kissed and hugged their daddy and said, “We can’t believe it. We don’t know what gave you this change of heart, but you are much different.”
Their relationship was at a new level, because he was giving with dignity, class, and style.
Mark Victor Hansen, best known as the co-creator of the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ empire (which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling non-fiction book series ever), is a walking success magnet! Between his books and speeches, Mark has helped countless millions of people become their very best. Visit Mark’s 101 E-Book Library at http://www.IdeasThatCanChangeYourLife.com.
