The Fred Factor was given to me by a teacher at the elementary school where I sub a lot. The teacher's read a book every year to help them focus on why they are there and why they do what they do. This book was phenomenal. It is short and sweet and amazing! I read it in a few hours. Written by Mark Sanborn, each chapter is chock full of good stuff. He primarily writes and speaks for businesses but I felt this book hit me on a very personal level.

"Fred" was the author's postman and this story is about how Fred took what could have been a mundane job and made it special, not only to himself but to everyone who he delivered the mail to. Mr. Sanborn then goes on to explain how we can all be "Fred's" and make a difference in people's lives. One of the quotes in the book is by Martin Luther King Jr. I have had it posted on the back of my bathroom door for several years so to me it seemed a timely reminder. Here's the quote: "If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say. 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.'" The primary goal of the book is to help people see past themselves and see that they are making a difference. What kind of a difference is up to them. Good or bad, indifferent or excited, we all make a difference on the people around us. What kind of difference are you making??