by
Tom Sheets

The original author of this quotation is most often identified as anonymous. It, or a variation of it, has been used by many including Ben Franklin. More recently, it has been widely used by Robert Johnson in a wide variety of motivational writings. Woody Allen even offered a variation of it saying “half of life is showing up.” What matters most is not who coined the phrase and when, but that you understand just how relevant it is today.

What does “showing up” mean today? It means being seen, being heard, and being engaged. Can you do this virtually on social media? Only partially. Showing up means just that…SHOWING UP…BEING THERE…BEING ENGAGED WITH OTHERS THAT WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS AND THOSE THAT YOU CAN HELP ACHIEVE THEIRS.

The more social media grows the more there is a desire to connect personally with others. This trend is guaranteed to increase exponentially as Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to replace human beings in social interactions. Are you really texting and posting with a human being? Are you sure?

You can join a fitness club or center, but if you rarely “show up” you are not likely to achieve those health and fitness goals you had in mind when you joined. Similarly, you can join a Chamber of Commerce, but if you rarely “show up” you are not likely to achieve your business goals.

The Southwest Veterans Chamber of Commerce (SWVCC) is composed of Veterans and non-Veterans who show up to help others grow, knowing that in the process, they too will grow.

So…if you are a member of the SWVCC, we urge you to show up—at both our in-person and virtual events. If you are not currently a member, we urge you to sign up and show up.

Because…the world is run by those who show up.