Law #29 - Position Yourself To Be Encouraging
by Stanley Bronstein on June 4, 2008
Law #29
Position Yourself To Be Encouraging
Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you. (William Arthur Ward)
Some Definitions
Flatter - To try to please by complimentary remarks or attention. To praise or compliment insincerely, effusively, or excessively. To play upon the vanity or susceptibilities of; cajole, wheedle, or beguile.
Believe - To have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so. To have confidence in the assertions of (a person).
Criticize - To censure or find fault with. To find fault; judge unfavorably or harshly.
Like - To take pleasure in; find agreeable or congenial. To regard with favor; have a kindly or friendly feeling for (a person, group, etc.); find attractive.
Ignore - To refrain from noticing or recognizing. To refuse to pay attention to; disregard.
Forgive - To grant pardon for or remission of (an offense, debt, etc.); absolve. To cease to feel resentment against.
Encourage -To inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence. To stimulate by assistance, approval, etc.. To promote, advance, or foster.
Forget -To cease or fail to remember; be unable to recall. To fail to think of; take no note of. To neglect willfully; disregard or slight.
Love - A feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection. Affectionate concern for the well-being of others.
Forced - Compulsory. Required by circumstances.
Sincere - Free of deceit, hypocrisy, or falseness; earnest. Genuine. Pure.
Source: Dictionary.com
What Exactly Is Encouragement?
To me, encouragement is a means of fueling a fire in others (and sometimes in ourselves).
When we inspire others, when we stimulate others, we are transferring some of our positive energy to them. In effect, we are giving a little piece of ourselves, in the hopes that others will be able to use that to their benefit.
Think Back In Your Life
Think of some of the times when others encouraged you.
For example, my parents constantly encouraged me by telling me that I was capable of accomplishing anything I put my mind to. They constantly encouraged me to dream big dreams and to shoot for lofty goals.
Think Some More
Can you think of times when you encouraged yourself?
I know that I am constantly doing that. I have to. It would be too easy to give up otherwise. You have to constantly belief in yourself and remind yourself of the strength of that belief.
Flattery Vs. Encouragement
Flattery is encouragement, but it often comes across as being insincere. If your words are not sincere, people will be inclined to NOT believe you. If, on the other hand, you are sincere; they will believe your words and love you for saying them.
Criticism Vs. Encouragement
Criticism is negative. Encouragement is positive. Criticism can often be destructive. Encouragement can often be constructive.
Moral of the story? If you have to criticize someone, try to do it in a positive, encouraging manner. Don’t tear them down, simply talk about how if they make changes it will build them up.
Ignoring Vs. Encouraging
Ignoring is not paying attention to someone at all. Encouraging, on the other hand, is the ultimate compliment. That is because you are showing that you are paying attention to someone. That’s what makes encouraging so powerful and ignoring so harmful.
Love & Encouragement
Encouraging someone is a form of loving them. By love, I don’t necessarily mean romantic love. I mean the simple act of caring about someone else. If you bother to care about someone else, you just might find that they care about you.
Encouraging Yourself
Just remember, not only should you encourage others, you should always remember to encourage yourself.
You will be amazed at the results.
Until next time, take care, my dear friends.Mr. Achievement
Stanley F. Bronstein
Attorney & CPA
June 5th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Great to learn about encouragement. THANKS! I’d like to share with you this book I finished that might offer you some new insights. It’s called Harmonic Wealth and it’s all about finding harmony in your life in all areas - financial, relational, mental, physical, and spiritual. It has some really good tips about how to engage all five pillars (or areas) of your life, and to learn more about how they complement each other. Rather than dealing with each issue individually, maybe take a look at the bigger picture.
Here’s the link to that book I recommend: harmonicwealth.com/read
a Harmonic Wealth Enthusiast