Subject: People Listen With Their Eyes
Imagine you are a cigarette smoker. You go to your doctor’s office for your annual physical examination, and your doctor tells you again for the 10th year in a row to stop smoking. Its not good for your health. The studies are clear that it causes lung damage, that it elevates your risk for cancer of the lung and other organs. Just look at those pictures and warnings on the cigarette boxes.
Now imagine that if in that same visit, your doctor stops for a few seconds in front of you, takes out a half-used beat up pack of cigarettes, lights one up, and take a long puff on it and exhales this huge cloud of cigarette smoke.
What are you thinking at that moment? I know what you are probably thinking, and what you should be thinking, and doing. Hence today’s topic:
Lead by example.
There should never be a disconnect between your actions and your advice. This is especially true when it involves other humans that look up to you, perceive you as a role model, or come to you for advice. The moment that there is any separation between advice and action, your advice becomes worthless – and usually forever.
If you cannot lead by example, do not lead at all. Do not think there is ever a separation between what you are paid to do or expected to do, and other parts of your life. For example, a sports star gets paid to perform on whatever their stage of talent is. When they are off that stage, they believe that their personal behavior is their own right and privilege. That they are not being paid to be a role model, they are being paid just for their athletic talents. That is not true in real life. And it is not true for you either. You may not be a professional athlete, but your employer expects that you spend your off-work hours doing the right thing, the same way you are expected to do the right thing at work. And the truth is you are always working, just not always getting paid for what you’re doing.
And speaking of doing, ALWAYS do the right thing. Always act appropriately. Always at the least pretend you are being watched, even when you believe you are all alone.
Imagine if everyone of us always did or attempted to do the right thing. The world would be an amazing place.
Let’s all dedicate ourselves to being the best person we can be, and together make this and future days, great and meaningful.
Wishes for a great and productive day,
David
