You are a leader like it or not.  People are observing your every move and learning from your words and actions.  This includes your kids, your co-workers, your friends and even your spouse. 

You influence the actions of others and you reap whatever you sow!  Therefore, it is in your best interest to be a fantastic role model by demonstrating smart living!

Life comes with the responsibility to be a good role model

I am sometimes overwhelmed with the sense of responsibility for being a good role model.  This is especially true when it comes to my daughters.

Actions speak so much louder than words.  I know that no matter how much I might want them to do as I say, they are much more likely to do as I do.  I have to live the life I want them to live.  They are following my lead.

In my mind, being a father is the single most important leadership role I have.  However, my kids are not the only ones watching me.

I know that in every major role I play in my life, including father, husband, manager, co-worker, citizen and Christian, that people are watching what I do.

Have I already blown it as a role model?

We all have a responsibility to lead by example, but most of us (I’m definitely included here) have made some mistakes and done some things we are less than proud of over the years. 

As a result, you might be wondering, “Have I blown it already?!?”

If you have children, then you know that even when it  seems like people aren’t paying attention to you, they are.

And isn’t it interesting how people (including our kids) always seem to pay a lot more attention when we screw up than when we do something really good?

Well, don’t fret too much because this is an illusion of sorts.  When we mess up, the consequences are often immediate and magnified making us feel like a fool in front of all the important people in our lives.

The pain of our embarrassment and our own conscience leads us to believe that our mistakes are irreparable.  We often blow it out of proportion in our minds.

In reality, I have found that even though our mistakes can cause some big blow-ups and crazy drama for brief periods, people are most influenced by our overall lifestyle.

If we model smart living on a regular basis, then when we make mistakes, people are much more likely to forgive us and be unaffected over the long haul.

This is why it is so incredibly important that we adopt these smart living rules as habits we live by on a daily basis!  They not only benefit us, but they sow the right seeds for those we love too!

Have we blown it?  I doubt it, but there is never a better time than today to start being an even better role model.  If you embrace the rules for smart living, you will be setting an incredible example that will make a huge difference and could change your family tree forever!

Assignment: Become a role model for smart living!

As I’ve done all along, I’m assigning you some homework to help you put this rule into practice in your life.  So, here we go:

1. Evaluate yourself as a role model – It is time for some brutal honesty.  What kind of role model are you serving as for the most important people in your life?  You can’t ask them to do any better if you aren’t leading the way with your actions.  Here are some resources that can help you reflect:

   Reality Check: Are You Doing What It Takes To Get Ahead in Life?
   Kid’s Habits: Prepare Your Child For A Great Life
   How to Be a Good Role Model
   

2. Improve in one area of smart living – Pick one of my other smart living rules and commit yourself to improving in that area.  Be specific about exactly how you are going to behave differently in the coming days.  Write this commitment down in a place that you refer to often.  Now go out and lead yourself and others to a better life!

Smart living requires us to be a good role model

Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.
~ Albert Einstein

I think we can all agree that Mr. Einstein was generally a pretty smart guy.  Apparently, he not only knew a lot about physics, but quite a bit about smart living too!  What kind of an example are you setting?  Is it the example you want those you care most about to follow?  These are powerful questions to ponder as you consider smart living!

What are your thoughts about being a good role model?

Follow this link to discover all the rules for Smart Living.

Photo by Hamed Saber