Believe.

In a recent blog entry, marketing guru Seth Godin wrote, "Money is more than a transfer of value. It's a statement of belief." As a leader at the Y, I continually challenge myself and my team with the question, "Why do people choose and why should they continue to choose the YMCA?" As I look into our Y community, I believe that Godin's perspective on financial transactions offers great insight into answering that question.

What I mean is this, people may purchase a treadmill to increase their activity. It's transactional. They invest their dollars into a piece of equipment that they may or may not use. People may purchase access to 100 treadmills to increase their activity. It's transactional, impersonal. They invest their dollars into 100 pieces of equipment that they may or may not use.

When I see people becoming members of the Y, it's more than transactional. It's more than a transfer of value. Rather, it's a statement of belief. It's a belief in personal growth. It's a belief in serving others. It's a belief in relationships. It's belief in family values. It's a belief in building up children who represent the next generation of leaders. It's a belief in a group of people who collectively make their communities stronger. It's a belief in a national movement of holistic wellness. It's a belief in an international association of mission-driven professionals and volunteers. It's a belief in the historic roots of a community focused organization. It's a belief in the future of a community focused organization. It's a belief in offering healthy programs and services to all people, regardless of their ability to pay. And it's a belief that the road to wellness extends beyond a treadmill and is best traveled in community, with others who support a shared mission of building strong kids, strong families, and strong communities.