A few years ago I was working late at night at the Red Lion Hotel here in Redding. I was looking at the paper, and there was a celebrity who had recently done something in their personal life that was published in the paper. As I was reading that article, it hit me…. That celebrity wasn’t ready to be in the spotlight. In their life, they became well known faster than they could handle, and their character didn’t match up to the place they were in the spotlight.
Being a night auditor, I had all night to think about this. I thought about this, and realized that, if I ever hope to become well known, I need to be prepared for having no private life. Think of officials, CEO’s, people who are in the public light. Do they get away with much? No. Their lives are often under a microscope. People are following them, watching what they do. If you plan to experience wild success in what you are doing, be an open book.
Expect people to notice you. I’m not saying that you should go places expecting for people to watch you and be intrigued by you. Not at all, that’s conceited. Rather, expect that people will see you, and don’t do things that you would find embarrassing, based on where you are headed in life. e.g., if you are a pastor, don’t go to the bar and drink, people will notice you and that doesn’t match up to your life plan.
Something that I’ve noticed, when traveling for business, people will ask you why you are visiting. You check into a hotel, and they say, “What brings you here”. This happened a month ago when I was traveling to a Toastmasters event. I checked into a hotel, and was asked, “What brings you here”. I said, “I’m here for a Toastmaster’s contest.” As soon as I said that, I was conscious of the way I carried myself, and the way I was dressed. I’m an Area Governor in Toastmasters this year, and it is important that I represent Toastmasters well. Anytime that I talk about Toastmasters, I’m representing Toastmasters International. It is important that I represent Toastmasters well.
When I expect that people will notice me, and ask questions about what I’m doing, it is important that I don’t hide anything. I’ve found that when I dress well, and don’t do anything that I will be embarrassed by later, life is so much simpler. If there is anything in life that I am hiding, it caps my success. If I’m hiding things, I won’t want to be promoted because, with more promotion, comes more visibility.
I agree, if you live like you have nothing to hide while no one is looking, then when people are looking, you’ll still be you. You won’t have to try to become something polished that’s not really you.
Very true.
So do poor people and non accomplishment people get permission to live in darkness? They do by nature, so Jim Rohn says “Don’t be like them, instead lead by example so you can have the joy of influencing other people’s lives positively.”