One of the unfortunate realities of life is that we don’t get to see the full impact of our actions during our lifetime. A life well lived not only creates a positive influence on friends, families and communities, but that influence can be felt for years if not generations after we are gone.
Steven Schreibman
One year ago today on May 17, 2018, I published a blog post about the unexpected passing of my great friend and former client, Steven Schreibman. I had no idea when I wrote the post that it would become the most popular post I ever published (and far more popular than the posts I haven’t published).
If Steven were here today he would have said, ‘Oh Adam, the reason it was the most popular is because today you went from one reader to two!’ And we would have had a big, loud laugh about it. But Steven’s good natured math joke would not have been true. Last year my blog was read in 105 different countries by tens of thousands of people. Yet the post about Steven was still the most popular. In fact, the first 3 days after I published the SS post represent 3 of the 5 highest traffic days my blog has seen in the 3.5 years I’ve been writing. Which means Steven was responsible for generating Los Angeles, Atlanta and Boston levels of traffic.
The Feedback
The quantity and quality of the comments, texts, calls and emails I got about that post also surpassed all others. Because Steven had touched so many lives. What I shared in my post turned out to be not just my experience, but the universal experience of everyone who had the good fortune of crossing paths with Steven.
Key Takeaway
There is nothing more important than the positive impact we have on other people. This is true at work, at play, at home and around the world. Steven had a profound impact on everyone he encountered. He showed us that we all can in our own unique way. Thanks again Steven for all the laughs, the kindness and intelligence you shared with us. Thanks for your over-the-top delivery. And most of all, thank you for being you.
If you’d like to read or re-read the original Steven Schreibman post, here it is:
Our time here is short. Make the most of it, like Steven did.
*If you know others who knew Steven please consider sharing this story with them.
Adam Albrecht Blog 