A lot of us don't try very hard to make a positive impact on those around us because we don't believe that we hold positions of influence. Let's face it: most of us are not movie stars or very rich.

The problem with the Six Degrees of Separation theory is the name. It's actually the Six Degrees of Connection. Think about it. Six degrees of influence, of expressing respect or gratitude, of demonstrating humanity. It means we're, at most, six connections away from someone who's widely respected, or from a person who has influence and is actually in a position to inspire lots of people.

Think about the person in this country who inspires you the most. The implication is that you're no more than six connections away from them. That means you have a pretty good chance of returning the favor via your acquaintances or even casual interactions with random strangers, albeit in an indirect way, and without getting credit for it.

What you do and how you do it matter a great deal. Share your ideas. Be kinder than you have to. Pay it forward.