It is a natural human reaction for you to wish to correct others when
you see them making a mistake or doing something differently than you
would have done it. It is far more difficult to control the impulse to
show them how much more intelligent you are. The ability to recognize
and control such impulses marks the beginning of the development of
wisdom. A wise person knows that when he shows his intelligence with the
actions he takes, others learn a far more valuable and lasting lesson.
If you see someone who could benefit from your advice, you can gently
lead him to a more appropriate conclusion by asking open-ended,
nonjudgmental questions. Let others find the flaws in their reasoning by
leading them logically through the process. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once
said, "The secret of education lies in respecting the pupil."
"Our strength grows out of our weakness," said Ralph Waldo Emerson.
"Not until we are pricked and stung and sorely shot at, awakens the
indignation which arms itself with secret forces." Strife and struggle
can inspire you to overcome adversity and to propel yourself to real
achievement. View every struggle as an opportunity for personal growth.
It is the struggle itself, not the result that builds character. If you
know you are right, stay the course even though the whole world seems to
be against you and everyone you know questions your judgment. When you
prevail-and you eventually will if you stick to the job-they will all
tell you that they knew all along you could do it.
Margaret Wolfe Hungerford said, "Beauty is in the eye of the
beholder." It was her way of saying that we see what we wish to see in
others. Every living human being is a complex combination of feelings,
emotions, and thoughts-some good, some bad. Your impression of another
depends far more upon you and your expectations of that person. If you
believe someone is good, you will find good qualities. If you don’t, you
won’t.
When you are yourself a positive person, you tend to find positive
qualities in others. As you work to develop good, constructive habits to
improve yourself continually, make it a practice to look for those same
qualities in others. It’s easy to spot another’s shortcomings, but when
you identify the good in others and congratulate them upon their
positive achievements, you will make friends on whom you can always
depend-both in good times and bad.
