Do other people see you the way you see yourself? Have you ever stopped to think about how other people see you? It’s kind of a strange concept, but still an important one. The reason I ask this is because it’s human nature, at least in my mind, to see things through a tainted lens.
This may be very blunt, but I bet people don’t see you the way you see yourself. From the time you are born until the day you die you are offered one perspective. It’s kind of like carrying a video camera around constantly. Every place you go, every person you meet, every sound you hear and scent you smell is constantly being processed. The only difference is that instead of just recording information, we have the ability to recall it, analyze it, and apply lessons learned from it.
In fact, it’s the collection of all this information that ultimately makes up who we are. It influences our decisions, our motives, our expectations, our values, and our personality. The question is, “What would you think of yourself if you could see through some else’s eyes?†There is a natural tendency for people to view themselves in a positive light. From that view point they usually believe that their thoughts and actions are correct. Don’t get me wrong, it is good to have a good self esteem, self confidence, and a good understanding of your place in life. Then again, what if there is one area that is in your blind spot. Are you open to even looking at it?
Be Impressive: People are driven by impressions; first ones especially. This is unfortunate because there are many times people are driven to inaccurate conclusions. It’s not really their fault, it’s wired in them to make snap assessments. As soon as someone meets you, they begin to compare you to people they’ve met in the past based on physical appearance, attire, speech, and subjects that you are interested in. For example, if I met a tax attorney, my initial expectation of him would be the he has a boring personality. In truth, he could be the life of the party. Still it is hard not to make an initial judgment.
So let’s get back to you. How do people think of you when they see you? Would they say you are disciplined, intelligent, and positive minded? Or would they think you are lazy, lacking, and mostly negative? These are important questions, not just for entrepreneurs, but for life in general.
Don't be Complacent: Too often we become complacent and too comfortable with who we are that we over look the message we send other people. So then the question remains, what areas of life do you need to work on? I don’t want to neglect the fact that you have some great qualities, but surely there must be one or two that could use improvement.
Identify the Issues: You might think, “Why is it important to identify these issues?†My point is that by addressing these issues you might find it makes life a little easier on you. People generally like to be around positive individuals. There is a natural appeal to being around someone that has their act together. As an entrepreneur, you might find that addressing one or two negative issues in your life will give you more influence, more confidence, and in effect, more tools to help you reach your goals.
Be an Influence: There is one other aspect to this. The way you carry yourself can directly influence the attitudes, thoughts, and actions of others. If you are perceived as a good person, you’ll find you that your attitude might rub off on those around you. Flipping to other side of the equation, this is why it is essential for you to be around people that have positive attitudes as well as the knowledge and ambition to succeed. Surrounding yourself with positive influences serves to motivate you and keep you in check when you start to be pessimistic.
I guess my question to you is, “Do you want to be seen as person who adds to people’s lives, or one that takes from them?†Don’t think I’m picking on you alone, this post is directed to me as much as anyone else. I just want to encourage you to remember that people are watching. What do you want them to see?
This may be very blunt, but I bet people don’t see you the way you see yourself. From the time you are born until the day you die you are offered one perspective. It’s kind of like carrying a video camera around constantly. Every place you go, every person you meet, every sound you hear and scent you smell is constantly being processed. The only difference is that instead of just recording information, we have the ability to recall it, analyze it, and apply lessons learned from it.
In fact, it’s the collection of all this information that ultimately makes up who we are. It influences our decisions, our motives, our expectations, our values, and our personality. The question is, “What would you think of yourself if you could see through some else’s eyes?†There is a natural tendency for people to view themselves in a positive light. From that view point they usually believe that their thoughts and actions are correct. Don’t get me wrong, it is good to have a good self esteem, self confidence, and a good understanding of your place in life. Then again, what if there is one area that is in your blind spot. Are you open to even looking at it?
Be Impressive: People are driven by impressions; first ones especially. This is unfortunate because there are many times people are driven to inaccurate conclusions. It’s not really their fault, it’s wired in them to make snap assessments. As soon as someone meets you, they begin to compare you to people they’ve met in the past based on physical appearance, attire, speech, and subjects that you are interested in. For example, if I met a tax attorney, my initial expectation of him would be the he has a boring personality. In truth, he could be the life of the party. Still it is hard not to make an initial judgment.
So let’s get back to you. How do people think of you when they see you? Would they say you are disciplined, intelligent, and positive minded? Or would they think you are lazy, lacking, and mostly negative? These are important questions, not just for entrepreneurs, but for life in general.
Don't be Complacent: Too often we become complacent and too comfortable with who we are that we over look the message we send other people. So then the question remains, what areas of life do you need to work on? I don’t want to neglect the fact that you have some great qualities, but surely there must be one or two that could use improvement.
Identify the Issues: You might think, “Why is it important to identify these issues?†My point is that by addressing these issues you might find it makes life a little easier on you. People generally like to be around positive individuals. There is a natural appeal to being around someone that has their act together. As an entrepreneur, you might find that addressing one or two negative issues in your life will give you more influence, more confidence, and in effect, more tools to help you reach your goals.
Be an Influence: There is one other aspect to this. The way you carry yourself can directly influence the attitudes, thoughts, and actions of others. If you are perceived as a good person, you’ll find you that your attitude might rub off on those around you. Flipping to other side of the equation, this is why it is essential for you to be around people that have positive attitudes as well as the knowledge and ambition to succeed. Surrounding yourself with positive influences serves to motivate you and keep you in check when you start to be pessimistic.
I guess my question to you is, “Do you want to be seen as person who adds to people’s lives, or one that takes from them?†Don’t think I’m picking on you alone, this post is directed to me as much as anyone else. I just want to encourage you to remember that people are watching. What do you want them to see?
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