Have you noticed how popular this old Indian sage is in our world today? His “Be The Change” message is everywhere, including email footers from friends and colleagues all over my inbox and bumper stickers everywhere.
But what does it mean? Why should you care?
It means that you train others how to treat you; you train them what to expect from you; you model to them what is possible and desirable. Even when you’re at the bottom of the people pile of life, you are a force for change or a force for the status quo.
However you are being – a force for change or not – however you are training those around you, is one of the most powerful aspects of your personal brand.
Be honest with yourself: Are you giving the system around you a reason to change or a reason to stay the same?
Is this what you want to stand for?
“If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. … We need not wait to see what others do.” – Mahatma Gandhi
If this seems impossible because you get triggered by other people and find it hard to hold your own space, invest in detrigging yourself and try again. It works.