Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t. – Margaret Thatcher
This kind of strength is easy to see. But what about strength of character? What does that look like? Can you spot it, or do they have to tell you about it??
What does that mean?
This quote is interesting, as it draws an analogy which I would never have considered. But that’s probably because I’m a guy.
The quote starts off talking about being a lady. In this context, being a lady is not about just simply being female, but about having grace, dignity, poise, and class.
If you have these characteristics, they are clearly self evident. If you have to tell people you have them, then they probably aren’t very evident, right? And that’s what the quote is about.
If you are powerful, it is evident. As a person, a company, a country, or a government, it shows in many ways. Those who have to remind others that they are powerful, probably aren’t really all that powerful. Those that are, don’t need to remind anyone.
Why is becoming the person you wish to be important?
Most of us aren’t as powerful, as lady-like (or gentlemanly) as we might want to be. There are plenty of other parts of our lives where we are a bit short of our goals, or we aren’t quite to the point where we simply are obviously what we want to be.
But we can become the person we wish by imitating and practicing and a lot of hard work. We aren’t likely to go from where we are to where we want to be in an instant. But by working our way towards our goal, one step at a time, we can eventually become the person we wish to be.
If we take no action, we don’t change in the direction of our desires, except by chance. That chance is equal that we’ll randomly change in a direction away from our goal, se we need to work towards becoming the person we wish to be.
The one thing to remember is that becoming someone requires us to know who that would be, and to put effort into getting there. Also realize that time will change, as will our goals. Be flexible and be prepared to change with the way life changes around you.
Where can I apply this in my life?
If you want to become powerful, and appear that way, you need to study what it is that people do to become known as powerful in the manner you wish to be known. How do they act? What steps did they take to get to their position and acquire their power?
If you want to become truly lady-like (or gentlemanly), and appear that way, you need to study what it is that people do to become known as such. How do they act, what do they do, and how can you move in that direction? Who can you think of to study?
If you wish to become wise, and appear that way, you need to study what it is that people did to become known as wise in the areas in which you wish to gain wisdom. Wisdom on Wall Street is different from wisdom in the grocery store or in the gymnasium.
Everyone I know has thoughts about becoming more, or improving themselves in some way. One of my goals is to get into better physical condition. There is a guy at work who is quite fit, has natural poise and moves effortlessly. He doesn’t have to tell anyone he is fit, it is self-evident.
When someone walks up to you, what do you want them to notice about you? Is it your beauty? Is it your build? Is it your knowledge? A combination of the above? What do you have to do to become that person? Who is already there, that you could model yourself after?
Is there someone you know who is headed that direction? Can you get tips, hints or ideas from them? Both on what they do, and on how they do it? These helpful hints can get you a long way towards where you want to go, and can be just the thing you need to get past an obstacle or mental block.
Sometimes, you just see someone, and you think to yourself, that person must be [fill in the blank]. How do you know that? Usually it’s because of how they are dressed, how they act, how they speak, how they hold themselves, or some other detail which you associate with the desired quality.
The idea is to figure out what these things are, and begin to imitate them as you work on the rest of the package. Buying a super-car because you want to be know as a playboy doesn’t work out when every dime goes to pay the car and insurance, leaving nothing for the lifestyle, right?
Becoming the person you wish to be isn’t about becoming an actor, but learning the details of how you should act allow you to start moving that direction. Don’t become a pale imitation of what you wish to become. Put in the effort and get it done. But being able to act the part helps.
From: Twitter, @mushyola
confirmed at : http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/margaretth109592.html
Photo by Craig Sunter
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We were at Garry’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony today. The most powerful guy there who was also an inductee refused to speak. He was there, was quiet, and that was it. But everyone knew exactly who he was. Because he really IS powerful. Very. And very private.
It’s amazing, isn’t it? I still don’t know what exactly ‘it’ is, but you can tell when someone has it, and when they don’t. Some of it is confidence, based on their experience in that aspect of life. What the rest is, I don’t know. As an engineer, I traded that part of my brain for more logic circuits. 8)
A wonderful insight for a wishful action .
Thanks for the kind words. Glad you got something out of it.
Feel free to look at some of my other posts (all 940 of them – and growing daily).
Amen! God bless you, my friend 🙂
Thanks, glad you liked it.