Fleeting Effort, Lasting Effect: A Poetic Look at Everyday Ethical Choices

Abstract This article introduces the poem “Tiny Act, Mighty Force: Impact of a 3-Minute Deed,” which draws from my personal experience. Composed in five stanzas of twelve-syllable lines, the poem flows with a steady rhythm, echoing a gentle heartbeat that reflects the story it tells. It focuses on an instance when a PhD application, outside my research domain, arrived in my inbox. Rather than dismissing it, I took a few minutes to forward it to a colleague whose expertise aligned more closely with the applicant’s interests. My short pivot led to a mentorship that helped the student flourish—eventually publishing in ABS4* (top-tier rating by Chartered Association of Business Schools) journals and building a distinguished academic career. One line, “No neglect, hesitance—I forwarded with speed,” reflects the promptness and conscientious clarity of that choice, while the poem invites reflection on how fleeting, thoughtful initiatives, even amid packed schedules, can shape lives and foster lasting professional relationships. Future research suggests exploring poetry to investigate moral judgments and sustainability across diverse fields. Keywords: compassion, ethical choices, mindful decisions, mentorship effects, kindness, reflection through poetry, relational marketing, professional ethics, leadership in academia, DEIA, sustainability, life's purpose Subjects: #MentorshipMatters #TinyActMightyForce #EthicalLeadership #DEIA #Sustainability #FleetingEffortLastingEffect #AcademicKindness #PoetryInMarketing #MindfulDecisionMaking #LifesPurpose #GEMSScholarlyJournalArticle Citing This Article APA Style: Pornpitakpan, C. (2025). Fleeting effort, lasting effect: A poetic look at everyday ethical choices. Global Empirical Marketing Studies, 1(1), Article e5.2025.10.25. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17387849