Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Lead the Way

I hear so many of us instructing our kids on the lessons of life, particularly on how to be successful in life. I know that every one of us does this with the best of intentions. In sports we yell at them to run faster and try harder. In school we push them to be the best and not except anything mediocre. With friends, we want them to selectively choose those who “have good heads on their shoulders”. We want them to stay in shape and not eat so much junk food. We want them to be social and more open to trying new things (not just broccoli). The bottom line for most of us, we want to make sure that they don’t make some of the same mistakes we made. Unfortunately, in a lot of cases these are mistakes that we are still making today? When they are younger they abide to our wishes like good little soldiers but as they get older, they begin to notice our behavior and question it. They wonder why we settle for mediocrity. They ask why we don’t exercise anymore. They look at the friends we choose for company and question our choices. After a while, we begin to lose credibility with our own children. They won’t run up and tell us but they begin to question all these things we ask so adamantly from them. One of the interesting things you will find is that they are more likely to mimic behavior, than start new behavior that doesn’t coincide with their family’s interest.

If we teach our children that’s It’s never too late for them, than it would only be logical that it is never too late for us. Run faster, try harder, strive to be the best, don’t except anything mediocre, surround yourself with the right people, stay or get in shape, don’t eat so much junk food, don’t be close minded, try new things and most importantly remember what you would say to them, “you can be anything you want to be, if you just ....................”.

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