On a cold rush hour morning, a good looking man, dressed in jeans and a baseball cap walked into a train station, carrying a violin case.

He opened the case, dropped a few dollars in to encourage others to do the same.  Over the next 45 minutes, he earned less than $35 for his performance.  Most people simply walked by, barely stopping to listen to the classical violin piece, played flawlessly by the young man.

Who was he?  Joshua Bell, one of the world’s most renowned musicians.  As part of a social experiment, arranged by a writer from the Washington Post, he played for 45 minutes to see what would happen.  The results are depressing.  More than 1,000 people walked by missing a chance to hear this amazing musician perform.  Depressing not just because they missed a once in a life time chance to hear Joshua Bell, but because their behavior is very typical of how we live our lives.  We get so focused on the end game; we miss so much along the way.

So the lesson for today, is not strictly business. Take a few minutes to listen to the music, explore something new, you and your business will be better for it.

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LORRAINE Ball Marketing Strategist

After spending too many years in Corporate America, Lorraine said goodbye to the bureaucracy, glass ceilings and bad coffee to follow her passion to help small business owners succeed

Today, this successful entrepreneur, author, professional speaker, and host of a weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words, brings creative ideas, practical tips, and decades of real-world experience to every conversation.

As the founder of the Digital Toolbox Community, she helps business owners use internet marketing to grow. And in her spare time, she loves to travel, and take photos. You can see her photos at lorraineball.com