HOW TO SURVIVE AS A COWARD.
It’s really very simple. Become someone you’re not. And never will be.
Think about it. There are cowards all over the place. They fill needs. Needs for themselves. Exaggeration helps. You build from there.
Now you’re probably saying “So what. We’re all guilty of a little make believe, once in a while. It’s part of selling.”
Can’t quarrel with that. However, there’s a line between between a minor inflation every now and then and a way of life. When someone achieves something through make believe, it can have serious consequences.
What does this have to do with cowardice? Almost everything. The lie becomes “A Coat of Armour.” The coward is concerned that he or she will not be accepted.
How will I get the job? “They won’t hire me as is.”
How will I be accepted as a friend? “I don’t fit in.”
I’d love to date that person. “My background isn’t right.”
I want to run for political office. “I gotta find a need and tell people I understand and will fill that need.”
There are scores of other situations, all personal to you.
When the coward gets taken seriously, enormous damage is a possibility. The coward has painted a picture of an achiever, of a talent, of experience, of a capability that does not exist.
In business, significant amounts of money are in balance.
In personal lives, hearts can be very fragile. The emotional well-being can be in jeopardy.
In any and all relationships, disappointment can have serious consequences.
Who am I to tell you all this? I’m 90. And have lived life. I still have my marbles, at least most of them. Most of my business experience has been in advertising.
In order to succeed, understanding people’s motivations is key to getting someone to go from point A to point B. Not just putting clever words in a communication but knowing what makes them tick. People generally see through embellishments very quickly.
Generally. But there are times when the coward’s message is so compelling and right on that the intended audience feels an identification with the person or organization that they support it hook line and sinker.
The Coat of Armour’s protection in most cases is short lived. However, the damage can take decades or even centuries to recover.
Living life. I have found that decency, truth and honesty can also be a different Coat of Armour. It’s worked for me. I am who I am. I have been married twice. Divorced once. Lost my second wife. A daughter with my first wife. And two younger brothers. All through illness.
I can’t say I haven’t offended some people along the way. My approach is to treat people as I would like to be treated. Naïve? You decide.