Be the change! Do it, don’t say it

Business

“Be the change you want to see in the world”.

Mahatma Gandhi

THIS QUOTE IS AN INCREDIBLE TRUTH towards “doing” rather than just “saying”. Gandhi was without a doubt one of the most incredible human beings that ever lived. What was it that you saw in the world that commanded you to believe this, and therefore actually ‘do it’? There seems to be so much conversation and so little action these days; It is tiring for believing people to call your attention when they promise change, when you know you should expect more of the same.

Saying and doing. These two words are opposite poles, opposite worlds. When we have heard it all and seen very little, there can be an incredible sense of disappointment that overwhelms us. This might seem like a learned form of helplessness, as we see things in our world that require change in response to the truth we see, but there is no change, and there may never be. That is not a good image. It reminds me of sayings like “Nothing changes if nothing changes” or “What is the definition of insanity: expecting very different results with the same methods?” Craziness.

We have heard of the intelligence quotient, but what interests me the most here is the ‘credibility quotient’. How can a person become credible and maintain credibility? I am not going to suggest anything scientific. But I would suggest that if people say what they mean and mean what they say, and test it with Really In doing so, it is a strong case for your credibility and the effectiveness of change. They are easier to trust and follow next time.

Credibility and trust are crucial in leadership. Without these elements, a leader will have a difficult time imposing any sense of respect for their positions. So what is credibility? How does it look? It means that if you are a leader you must be prepared to be ‘part from pain‘change if you expect it to work. A leader needs to step in and get dirty with change by getting involved. Now this just makes common sense to me, but it’s amazing how many would-be leaders just aren’t interested in getting involved and making the necessary sacrifices to guide people through a process of change. The character (humility and respect, etc.) of the leader manifests itself when people see them actually committing to the changes that they all see as necessary: ​​they share a common understanding and a common goal.

The change at home is very similar. If you are in a relationship and there is abuse or inequity, you want and need a change. If you don’t see any commitment to change, or your partner is just saying things to appease you, it’s a concern. How do you facilitate the change you want to see? You could “be the change” as Gandhi suggests. It is a good starting point. Even more significant, if you are the partner who is the perpetrator of the abuse, “Be the change” you want to see; in fact, start doing it one day, one moment at a time. Don’t make excuses or put it off any longer – do it now! Continuing change in this environment is simple if it stays that way. Like giving up on anything, just keep going one moment at a time and I can guarantee you that the forces that seem so powerful now won’t be in a month or two. That may seem a long way off; focus: one day at a time.

“Making the change” means staying within your sphere of influence. This is so important. How many people get angry with things that worry them, but do not have the ability to change? This is a waste of energy. Let’s explore the remedy. Let’s take a look at a unique characteristic that we all have: the ability to train original perceptions.

Perceptions are fun things; we all have them and they are very varied, and even subtle differences separate us a lot from each other. If we are wise, we will seek to test our perceptions enough to say, “Can I do something about it?” If the answer is ‘yes’, it is something we can influence: we can actually do something about. This reminds me of the tagline World Vision used in their 40 hour famine promotion this year … ‘Do something … Do something real … Do something else’ (other than procrastination). There is no point in getting ‘in a tizz’ over something we can’t do anything about, so if the answer to our question is ‘no’, we must learn to move on, and as the Serenity Prayer suggests, we need to ‘accept the things we cannot change’.

Now, we start a totally different ball game if the answer is ‘yes’ and we are passionate enough. This is where the work begins. We have made it easy, now the ‘proof will be in the pudding’, as they say. Allowing a change process to “do” requires planning, commitment, energy, and resources. It can only be limited by a lack of passion and commitment.

I recently heard that one way to reach your goals was through the “self-discipline bridge.” Is not correct? We cannot achieve any worthwhile goal without restricting our desires. Whether our desire is stunted by laziness (procrastination) or fueled by greed, the antidote is self-discipline; diligence in a word. This word symbolizes the right spirit in exercise. It’s all reliable, done in the right way and with the right intention.

Doing the things that our minds and hearts say are important, those things that we can actually do, is really important to our self-confidence and self-efficacy. Doing things, rather than just saying them, is an indicator of character because it shows the people around you how diligent you are, how committed you are to ideals, and how compassionate you are.

If you are able to constantly turn the things you say into the activity of doing them, ‘So, my son [or daughter]’as Rudyard Kipling said in his poem’ Yes ​​’,’ You will be a man [or Woman].

© 2007 Steve Wickham

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *