It's not the Yuppie Syndrome, as much as it is self-improvement and personal success. It seems that it is a drive in varying degrees of passion with each individual that exists from birth, otherwise our species would die out after a couple generations!



A short time ago a major magazine reported this gene as The God Gene. Thereby we might say we have a divine desire to better ourselves, an upward reach for greatness. Another way of looking at it is that we are adapting in our evolution.

In any case, we either improve or we die, much like the chickens in the hen house. If you've watched the critters they have no mercy. They peck at each other until they have reached a pecking order of superiority, usually with the last one being pecked so much that it literally is pecked to death!

Fortunately, the majority of scientists now theorize that we humans have not evolved over the past 16,000 years with the same instinct as the chickens. Contrary to the popular movies today, when our prehistoric ancestors first met a new tribe they were much more likely to sit down around a campfire and swap stories, boast of great tales and gossip. They were much more likely to lend help to one another than to fight for supremacy.

What in the world does this have to do with Entrepreneurs, I heard someone say? Well, a lot. The evidence that our ancient ancestors were more inclined to help each other than hurt each other changes the whole premise on which we have viewed most of history! Man, by nature, is more inclined to help and support others than to tear them down. Dictators, despots, tyrants and criminals, including Burma are aberrations. Kindness and caring IS the rule.

So as we greet the end of summer we can celebrate the reality that within each of us is that divine desire for self betterment and that oh-so-natural desire to help our friends. As each of us grows our businesses we grow ourselves. Edwin Markham wrote in his later years,

We are all blind until we see,

That in the human plan,

Nothing is worth the building

That does not build the man.

Why build these cities glorious

If man unbuilded goes?

In vain we build the world

Unless the builder also grows!

Once in a while we run across someone who proves her mettle as a genuine human being and caring person. She is the epitome of this God-Gene, and we're grateful she's a friend. Other Entrepreneurs have gone beyond the call of duty in every respect over their lives in displaying not only their openness and great ideas but their abilities to support and share.

Emerson said that he was the sum of all those he had met. I guess it is my quest to be a positive influence not only in my only family's life but the entire human family that I meet. So, why fight it? It's OK to be good! Try a little random act of kindness today. Couldn't hurt.