Personal influence never stops - for better or for worse. Weinfluence others, and they influence us, in some cases evenbeyond death. Memories of a deceased parent, teacher,preacher, or mentor continue to dwell with us; in fact,their influence may actually increase with time.
Influence can be subtle. Two people might do the same thingor say the same words and yet exert very differentinfluences. Don't be blinded by outward appearances. Yourinner impressions are a more accurate gauge of genuineness.
Suppose your own character is somewhat less attractive thanyou'd like. Maybe you're afflicted by such a bad temper thatyou constantly feel obliged to overcompensate. The dilemmathen arises: you can either continue to go through thischarade your whole life; or you can decide to be true toyourself.
If you manufacture a mask of friendship to conceal yourirritability, you may affect a cheesy grin, a smoothness oftone, a blandness of vocabulary, a careful control of bodylanguage - all ruses to transform your overt hostility intocovert hostility! Cool on the outside; raging hot within!What a wearying way to spend the day!
Personal influence radiates from the real person; whereas anunreal persona exercises personal manipulation. Personality-disguises are inauthentic, disingenuous, and self-defeating.Even the best orator will be unconvincing if he does notbelieve his own message. Yet an unskilled speaker can havethe audience hanging on his every word - as long as themeaning carries weight. Authenticity makes the difference.
The mechanistic perfectionist may be admired at thebeginning; but it's the sound of the authentic soul thatwill please the listener's ear longest. Words that comestraight from your heart speak straight to the hearts ofothers. So it's useless to preach unless YOU are the sermon.Your words will ring hollow unless you are seen and felt tolive their meaning.
The Biblical Pharisee is one who lays down the lawenthusiastically, but practices none of the spirit. Themodern Pharisee fails to "walk the talk."
If we want to have positive influence in the world, we haveto be good people on behalf of the world. And since everyindividual is part of the world, we must be good to everyindividual we meet - otherwise our influence will not spreadin the ways that we wish.
