Life Lesson: The True Seven Wonders of the World

Screen Shot 2014-11-23 at 10.21.25 AMA group of very smart students were asked to make a list of what they considered to be the contemporary Seven Wonders of the World.

After much discussion and disagreement, the students were asked to write down their individual choices and pass them to the front of the room.

Once the papers were collected the teacher tallied up the list and wrote on the board the responses that had gotten the most votes:

1. Egypt’s Great Pyramids

2. Taj Mahal

3. Grand Canyon

4. Stonehenge

5. Empire State Building

6. St. Peter’s Basilica

7. China’s Great Wall

Everyone was excited about the list, except for one student who was sitting in the back of the classroom and who remained extremely quiet. She hadn’t even turned in a paper.

The teacher asked, “Are you having trouble with your list?”

The girl quietly answered, “Yes, I am having a little trouble—I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many great wonders!”

The teacher said, “Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help.”

The girl hesitated, but then slowly and quietly began to read her version of the Seven Wonders of the World:

1. To see

2. To hear

3. To touch

4. To taste

5. To feel

6. To laugh

7. To love

Lead From Within: The seven wonders of the world may be places on our list—places we want to visit, places where we see beauty or greatness. But if you really think about it, what are the seven wonders in your life and leadership? Which ones of them make the biggest difference? How can you make them matter even more?

[box]Lolly Daskal is the president and founder of Lead From Within a consulting firm specializing in executive coaching and customized leadership programs. Connect with Lolly Daskal[/box]

Additional Reading:

Codes Of Conduct To Lead

Let Your Leadership Speak For Itself

The Power of Being Your Best


Lolly Daskal is one of the most sought-after executive leadership coaches in the world. Her extensive cross-cultural expertise spans 14 countries, six languages and hundreds of companies. As founder and CEO of Lead From Within, her proprietary leadership program is engineered to be a catalyst for leaders who want to enhance performance and make a meaningful difference in their companies, their lives, and the world.

Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.

  1. Sunil Jogdeo

    25. Nov, 2014

    Real wonders ! Truly sweet write up. Thank you for reminding wonders we possess with us.

    Reply to this comment
  2. LaRae Quy

    25. Nov, 2014

    What a beautiful illustration, Lolly!

    Thanks so much for sharing. A great reminder that we are surrounded by many wonders of beauty, kindness, and graciousness.

    And a great reminder to tell you that I am very grateful for you, Lolly, and thankful that our lives have crossed paths.

    Reply to this comment
  3. Garren Fagaragan

    25. Nov, 2014

    aloha Lolly…

    as LaRae stated, what a beautiful illustration.

    Truths that truly matter. Yes.
    I am too reminded of these beautiful truths and I am grateful.

    Thank you bringing this to us today.

    Reply to this comment
  4. Panteli Tritchew

    25. Nov, 2014

    Lovely…
    Lovely…
    Lovely…

    Reply to this comment
  5. Rehan Uddin

    26. Nov, 2014

    Lolly Apu Thank you for excellent exalt and sustainable post. This post remember to us modern view.

    Reply to this comment
  6. Daymond Lopez

    26. Nov, 2014

    Awesome!
    We use to complain a lot and don’t realize how blessed we are.

    Reply to this comment
    • Anisa Menza

      29. Nov, 2014

      Lolly you are lovely and you sharing about the seven wonders just fantastic.
      You have made my day.
      I have stopped thinking of the wonders outside and appreciating the wonders within thank you sooooooomuch!

      Reply to this comment
  7. Ana

    26. Nov, 2014

    Wonderful reminder of our blessings as we enter into the Christmas season.

    Reply to this comment
  8. Beverly Kennedy

    29. Nov, 2014

    Beautiful and insightful. Simple and yet so uniquely powerful. Thank you!

    Reply to this comment
  9. special needs tricycles

    30. Nov, 2014

    Spot on with this write-up, I really believe that this amazing site needs far
    more attention. I’ll probably be back again to read more, thanks for the info!

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  10. Russell

    02. Dec, 2014

    My seven. It took more than one work to capture/describe a wonder.

    To think, to decide, to choose
    To give and to share
    To mentor, to support, to befriend, to care, to include
    To dream, to pursue, to fail, to pursue again, to succeed
    To learn, to discover, to marvel, to be awed
    To find happiness, even if sometimes fleeting
    To be

    Reply to this comment
  11. Garry Samuels

    03. Dec, 2014

    I’m always happy to share your content (under @HR_Aspects_Mag) but, more than ever, this was an excellent, thought-provoking piece.

    Reply to this comment
  12. Maria Pescaru

    27. Jan, 2015

    Good lesson,thanx!Have nice day!Un saludo ,Maria

    Reply to this comment
  13. Dave Shank

    22. Apr, 2015

    The most Wonderful Things in our lives are so often the one’s we take for granted. We all are so blessed! Thank you so much for this Beautiful post.

    True wonders are best expressed from the heart.

    Have a Spectacular Day!

    Reply to this comment
    • EdXEastmond

      03. Jun, 2015

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      to and you are just extremely great. I actually like what you have acquired here, really like what you are stating and the
      way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still care for
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  14. Dawood Chishti

    28. Jul, 2015

    Love matters the most both in life and leadership.
    Love lives love!

    Reply to this comment
  15. Dawood Chishti

    28. Jul, 2015

    Love reside with love.

    Reply to this comment
  16. Dawood Chishti

    28. Jul, 2015

    Love breeds love.

    Reply to this comment
  17. Ayodele stephen

    07. Nov, 2015

    Nice one

    Reply to this comment
  18. Ayinde Oalekan

    17. Mar, 2016

    How we get so carried away with the things around us that we forget that the things that matter the most in this World takes root within us.
    It is indeed a wonder to sleep and wake up each day because everyday itself is a day never seen in history before so today is the first Wonder of the World because today never existed before. How Wonderful!

    Reply to this comment
  19. Worku Lemma

    14. May, 2016

    Lolly; it is best thing that I read this Saturday morning, May 14th, 2016 just before leaving office from my half- day work. God bless you.

    Reply to this comment
  20. Binoy

    26. Aug, 2016

    Wah, so simple but very powerful thought. Thank you Lolly for bringing this up. I’m an avid reader of your blogs, must say you are well informed and well researched.
    It’s a learning pleasure to connect with your blogs.

    Reply to this comment
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    13. Jun, 2018

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