Have you ever written a blog post, written an article in a print publication, written a book, or given a speech that’s full of advice? These days it’s a normal thing for anyone to write about what people should and shouldn’t do.
Think about what advice you’ve given recently and tell me to what extent you “practice what you preach”. Do you really do everything that you tell others they should be doing? It seems that people who give advice (including me) don’t always adhere to it. So does that make us hypocrites?
I’ve been giving people business advice for years and when the time comes to use my own advice, I don’t always do it. Why? It seems like the ultimate thing and I have only recently realised that this behaviour is not just something I do; it’s something many people do.
Since I’ve noticed this happening in my own life, I’ve been making a point to take and follow my own advice. And you know what? It really is good advice and I should have been listening to myself all along. It’s not that I didn’t believe what I was saying. I just wasn’t making the connection between telling other people to do it and practicing what I preach. I had the right knowledge but I wasn’t using it. Is that being lazy or having a selective memory or something else?
I know what I should be doing because I’ve been telling everyone else what to do for years. Now those things that I haven’t been doing are being put into action and the rewards are already showing. Thanks me. I knew you could do it!
So what advice have you given in the last year or so that you haven’t been acting on yourself (practicing what you preach)?
Paul Groth is a marketing strategist, entrepreneur, and founder of www.marketingmixer.com.au. He is a strong believer in unconventional marketing using tactics such as persuasion, emotion, controversial content and getting the most bang for your buck using low-cost marketing methods. Follow Paul on twitter @paulMrG
Photo: Keela84
