As I was writing my books I’ve Always Looked Up to Giraffes and How To Make a Giraffe Smile, I did a lot of research on the anatomy and characteristics of giraffes and other animals.

One of the most interesting facts that I discovered is that the giraffe has the largest heart in the animal kingdom. It weighs 28 pounds and is over two and one-half feet long. It has to be that large to get all of the blood up to its brain.

Now when you think about the functions of a heart, it’s the organ that pumps life throughout your body. It’s what keeps you vibrant, alive and active. It’s the core of your existence and the most important organ in your body. Sure it’s nowhere near the size of the giraffe’s heart (the average adult size is 13 centimeters long and 3½ inches wide) but that’s irrelevant.

When we talk about people who have “a lot of heart” what we mean by that is that they are truly caring, brave people whose heartbeat for others is strong, consistent, smooth and never-ending. To me, great leaders and great people have big hearts. It truly has nothing to do with the actual size, as it’s all about what you feel for others and how you interact with them. Perhaps the best way to describe my feeling about the heart is to “dissect” it.

The “H”

The “H” in the word heart is all about helping others achieve success and reach heights they have never reached before. There is no greater feeling than knowing that you’ve made a difference in someone’s life and helped them accomplish something that didn’t seem possible. Great leaders and teachers understand that the only limitations we have are those that we inflict and place upon ourselves.

The “E”

The “E” in my mind is all about energizing those you meet. And when I think of energizing others I think about the attitude and emotions you display. I’ve always felt that one’s attitude will determine one’s attitude and that attitudes are infectious. We all like to be around nice, positive people who love life and who have smiles on their faces. It only takes three muscles to smile but 66 to frown. Why would you want to waste all that energy frowning?

The “A”

The “A” in heart is to practice the ASK (Always Seek Knowledge) Principle. The more you learn about a person or situation the easier it is to interact with them. When you sit and talk with others you not only find out a lot about them, but you let them know you’re interested and that you care. When people sense that you care about them, they will be open and not afraid to express their feelings.

The “R”

The number one need of Americans is the need to be recognized. We all like to be appreciated and thanked for a job well done. Some feel that recognition is all about money or tangible rewards. Nothing could be further from the truth. A kind word, a smile, or a pat on the back goes a long way. And in my mind, one of the greatest forms of recognition is a hand-written note. It doesn’t have to be an epistle or anything sophisticated. Write it from “the heart” and don’t be afraid to express your true feelings.

The “T”

The “T” is very simple. It’s all about treating others the way they like to be treated. I don’t know many people who like to be called names, cheated, lied to or discriminated against. People with big hearts respect others regardless of their race, religion, social status, education or earning capacity. It’s a lesson my father taught me when I was young and my hope is that you will not only practice this principle but teach it to all you touch.

Years ago there was a great song whose words were, “You gotta have heart, miles and miles and miles of heart . . .” If you do, you’ll go very far in life.