POSER or PAUSER

Chapter Twenty One

Poser or Pauser

Posing as someone you are not represents a theft of potential. Pausing to meditate upon the possibilities created by your actions is a personal antitheft device. Posers are counterfeit people who will take credit for your strengths and point fingers at your weaknesses. Pausers help you reflect intelligently and examine outcomes before proceeding in the decision making process.

AID to MENTOR NAVIGATION Part 41

Once upon a minute there lived a Poser. Nobody knew his real name; he pretended to be somebody new everyday. Each new day was filled with a new dream and excuses. The excuses would describe why the dreams on the preceding day had failed. The Poser knew nothing of perseverance; he was a fake and a fraud who found his self worth in stealing other folk's accomplishments.

His favorite saying was: "You couldn't have done it without me!" He would brag far and wide about all the people who were a success due to his accomplishments in their lives. His real goal, unspoken even to himself, was helping people fail so he wouldn't be alone in his own failures. His self esteem was lowered with each new failure.

 One day he was helping a student who wanted to become a Doctor. The student was struggling and wanted to quit. The Poser urged the young person to quit because that was something that Poser's are prone to do. The Poser had once had once wanted to become a Doctor but he had failed at that too. The Dream of being a Doctor had happened before he became a Poser. A high school teacher had asked him what his dream was. When he replied: "I want to be a Doctor!" The teacher told him: "You're not smart enough to become a Doctor." He began to believe the discouraging words of the teacher, that was the beginning of his life as a Poser.

He would dream a dream and then the words of the teacher would leech up from the depths of his heart and cast the dream away with echoes of: "You're not smart enough!" Those discouraging words became his best friends and he spread them far and wide. Eventually folks became fed up with the negativity of the Poser and banished him from their lives. He took up residence under a bridge. He spent his days collecting cans and bottles for redemption. He begged for money and verbally abused those who refused to donate to his misery.

The lessons from this story:

1.      Do not live your failed dreams through others.

2.      Encourage those who struggle to pause and consider the outcomes before quitting.

3.      Purge your heart from negative words spoken in your past before they do damage in the present.

4.      Be accountable, be encouraging, be disciplined - DON'T QUIT!

AID to MENTOR NAVIGATION Part 42

One of the most beautiful and rewarding experiences in life is to see someone succeed after you have given them hope and encouragement. As a Mentor, Teacher, Parent, Friend, Spouse, Employer, Pastor, Counselor, Doctor, Neighbor or even an Enemy, do not expect to receive recognition and gratitude from someone you have helped. Do not take credit for someone's achievement no matter how much you have done for them.

Success is always a matter of personal choice. You may have been the catalyst of that success but you do not own it. Gratitude will come your way in some form or another. The Law of Reciprocity will guarantee your gratitude receivership. The seed you plant must be free of its connection to you. A farmer lets go of the seed into the ground. You are a Heart Farmer who must let go of the seed of hope and encouragement into the heart of the person whom you are Mentoring.

For everything there is a season. During the season of basking and glowing, please don't steal the limelight by taking credit for an accomplishment that is truly not yours. The fan in the stands bought a ticket, a beer and cheered the team on but he didn't throw a touchdown pass or kick the winning field goal. The Gold Medal Winner stands alone on the central podium after an Olympic victory. The victor usually gives credit and gratitude to a host of people who made the fulfillment of their dream possible. Somebody is always left out of the "thank you speech." Bask in the feeling of knowing you helped another human being. That's enough, your good deed will be returned upon you in due season.

Pausing to give recognition is the fruit grown from the seed of pausing to make a good decision.  Thanks for pausing to read this. Go do something nice for somebody.