“There suddenly appeared
in my world - I saw them first, I think, in 1908 - a new sort of little boy - a
most agreeable development of the slouching, cunning, cigarette-smoking,
town-bred youngster; a small boy in khaki hat, and with bear knees and athletic
bearing, earnestly engaged in wholesome and invigorating games up to and
occasionally a little beyond his strength - a Boy Scout. I liked the Boy Scout.”
– H.G. Wells
(1866-1946) Author
I have always found it interesting that the harder we work
at being different from everyone else the more we are the same. I grew up in the 60's when the way we proved
we were "non-conformist" was to conform to every other
"non-conformist". Even today,
people claim they are not part of the pack and their own person, yet other than
their name, you cannot tell them apart from the next guy.
There
are those who really are different and unique.
I like to call them success-minded people. Rather than feeling they must prove their
uniqueness by piercing every available part of their body to taking rudeness to
the level of an art, these people just naturally be the best they can be. Success-minded people are people who believe
that character, integrity and doing the right thing is always the best way to
go. They understand that doing what is
right and being truthful is not a case of following the crowd but of individual
choice. A choice they make with
understanding and passion.
Some
where in this crazy society we started to believe that to be angry, rude, self-centered
and displaying bad behavior was somehow cool or fashionable. Success-minded people understand that if is
in doing right and standing for right that we really become our own person. Anyone can exhibit a bad attitude or wrong
behavior. As the late Corrie ten Boom
once said, "Any dead fish can float downstream."
It is
time that we make the decision to be different.
We choose to stand out from the crowd and be the example, not the
attraction. It takes courage and
determination to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind,
obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. These are not the qualities you see
encouraged in our schools or government.
It takes a person who can think for them self and have the guts to stand
alone if they must.
Be a
different breed than the rest. Be an
example of what it means to not follow the crowd or to give up your ability to
be you. Be positive, pleasant and
encouraging to all you meet. They will
take notice. As Mark twain said,
"Always do right. This will gratify
some people and astonish the rest."
You
matter! You matter to the world and to
yourself. Remember to be your best, love
God, have good manners, achieve the unknown and change your world.
John Patrick
Hickey is an author, speaker, Life Coach and proud Scouter. To read more from
John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your
church, business or group, visit our website at http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.
© 2014 John
Patrick Hickey
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