A few years ago I was running a sales conference when a well-known, and suitably theatrical, main platform speaker began his presentation by holding up a crisp, brand new £50 note and asking, "Who'd like this £50 note?" Needless to say hands shot up throughout the packed auditorium. Smiling, he said, "OK, in a moment I'm going to give this £50 note to one of you but first, just let me do this." He screwed up the £50 note, held it up again and asked, "Now who wants it ...?" The same hands went up plus, this time, quite a few more. "And," he said, "what if I do this?" He dropped the crumpled note to the floor and started to stamp on it and grind it into the carpet with his shoe. After a minute he reached down and picked up the now crumpled and grubby £50 note and, with a big grin said, "Anybody still want it?" This time just about every hand in the hall shot up.
As the laughter died away he said, "Just look around you. You've all taken part in a very valuable life lesson. No matter what I did to the money you still wanted it because nothing I did to it decreased its value. It was still worth £50." He dropped the note again and stood on it. "Like me, I'm sure many of you will have been dropped, crumpled, stepped on and even ground into the dirt by people, organisations or even just by circumstances - and I'm sure it will happen again. When it does, it's very easy to feel as though you're worthless but, remember this - no matter what happens to you, just like this £50 note you too will never lose your value."
Did he ever give the money away - I don't remember. But I do know that his message was worth a great deal more than £50.
