When the queen of Sheba had seen all of Solomon’s wisdom for herself, the palace that he had built, the food set at his table, his servants who sat with him, his ministers in attendance and how they were dressed, his personal staff and how they were dressed, and even his personal stairway by which he went up to the LORD’s Temple, she was breathless! – 1 Kings 10:4-5, [Emphasis added]
Here’s a simple but profound truth: human beings need to breathe.
In fact, breathing is so important that we’re Designed to breathe without thinking.
So anything that happens to interrupt this vital function of human survival – e.g a punch in the gut or being held under water – is actually remarkable…something worth making a remark about.
In 1 Kings 10, the Queen of Sheba wasn’t drowning or being trapped under water, but the effect of her visit to King Solomon was the same: she had no breath in her, there was no spirit in her…she was breathless.
That simple phrase is the key to doing Work and living a life that is truly remarkable:
When my [CUSTOMER/WIFE/KID/BOSS] had seen my [PROJECT/PRODUCT/GIFT/PRESENTATION/WORK], she was breathless. [short of breath or appearing this way because of excitement or other strong feelings]
Most of us seeking to do things that are remarkable focus on the Moments of buzz, chatter, heat and word-of-mouth that we want to happen after our Work has been encountered…and then we work backwards from there in designing our project/product/presentation/experience.
But the opportunity to create truly remarkable experiences lies in studying the things that render you speechless and breathless, in the moment you’re experiencing them.
Sunsets, sunrises, a $25,000 Hot Chocolate, a toilet paper commercial, odd socks, Steph Curry, TOMS shoes, 100% fruit juice, a brilliant TED Talk…
Each of these experiences is a collaboration of “tiny details” that collaborate with each other to render you breathless. Study them and use what you learn in your own situation.
But also, each of these experiences is a simple reminder of the Truth that the Greater One lives inside you…One who is “greater than Solomon”. (Matthew 12:42)
Once you remember that, and are fully persuaded of its Reality, then the evidence of your presence in a room/project/experience will be 3 simple words:
…she was breathless.