From Seth Godin’s blog … “You will never keep people from talking. But you can take actions to influence the content of what they say.”
Seth is a very savvy guy, a clever and provocative business thinker and writer. If you haven’t seen any of his work (and you’re in business), he is a very worthwhile read. And what he says is honest and true. Often what he says has application far beyond business, so you may want to read him even if you're not in business..
I read this line in one of his blog postings and thought about it outside of the business world, in the context of truly personal character. It makes me consider what actions we take to “influence” what people say … or more importantly, think … about us.
It’s not the same as “wondering what people think”, in the way some are at times overly concerned with what others perceive. That seems passive to me. Seth’s approach is more active … what are we doing that shapes the perception or reality that people have of us? Do we think about that consciously? Do we think about it more when we’re young and starting our careers, and beginning to shape our destiny? How about as we age … maybe we think about it even more then, closer to the end times?
I think about that sentence another way, for a time when people will definitely be talking about you. What will people remember you for, when you’re gone? After all, it is the whole of your life that will be celebrated, or not. What will people think when they hear your name? What would they say if asked to speak at your memorial? What “content” are you giving them that is truly yours, honest and direct and at the core of who you are? What actions of yours will influence their final opinion?
We play many roles and take many actions, every minute of every day. And it is a precious few actions that may resonate for people in a special way. I pray today that I … and all of those I touch … am taking and displaying actions that reveal the true me, the me I want them to remember, the soul within.
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