As a personal matter, I take my children to the library each day to do their homework. I began taking neighborhood children with us. There would sometimes be a group of six to eight children sitting around the library with me doing homework and studying. I never talked about this with the neighbors or with parents whose children I did not take with me. I thought nothing of it. That is until one day a neighbor stopped me on the street and said what a wonderful thing it was that I took the children to do their homework. This neighbor told me that because of me helping the neighborhood children with their homework, some other parents were taking kids to the playground for sports activities. I was a role model to parents in the neighborhood without intending to be one and without even knowing I was a role model.
Whether you like it or not, whether you realize it or not, you are a role model to others and must take that responsibility seriously.
No matter what you do in life, someone somewhere is watching you. You will be surprised at the things you do without thought that have a tremendous impact on those around you. I have a friend, Nicole who blogs at My Fantastic Boobies. She came to a city near my home to speak at a major conference. I wanted to see her and brought my young children with me. As we were walking through the hotel hallway to get to her room, we walked on some amazing carpeting. One of my twin daughters, Twin Z remarked, “Mommy, I feel so important.” When I asked her why, she said, the carpeting felt so good and luxurious it must be for important people. She decided at that moment, she wanted a job where people would pay her to come speak to them and pay for her to stay in hotels with that beautiful carpeting. My friend Nicole had no plans to impress my daughter. She had no idea that her hotel room would cause a six-year-old to dream big dreams, but it did.
It is important to do a good job at all you endeavor. There are people who are watching you and see you as a source of inspiration and a role model. No matter who you are or what you do, there are people who look up to you and would like to be you. If you have a struggling business enterprise, there is a woman somewhere who is dreaming of starting her own business and struggling to keep it afloat rather than struggling to work a job that is unsatisfactory and unappealing. When running your business, even if you never see anyone watching, behave as if you are performing for a packed house. Give your best efforts and operate with integrity. When you behave as if you are being watched, you will do things fully, completely and properly. When you are being watched, you will not cut corners or do things in a sloppy manner. In other words, even if you don’t think someone is watching, behave as if they are because it will encourage you to do a better job.
If you have children at home who are picky eaters and driving you crazy with sibling rivalry infused fighting, there is a woman who is struggling with infertility and would give almost anything to have your children. There may also be a young woman who is struggling to raise her children and looking at you as an older, wiser woman whose example she should be following. Even in personal matters, there are those watching you who will follow your example when they encounter similar life challenges. When you take a moment to see your challenges and struggles as opportunities that others would love to have, it makes you feel differently. In addition, it makes you appreciate what you have and reminds you that you are a role model to someone somewhere in the world.
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