Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; Seek what they sought- Basho
It is good to have mentors. It is even good to have heroes and people we admire. Yet all too often we tend to confuse the message with the messenger.
When we hear something we like from someone, when a message stirs something deep inside of us, we unconsciously conclude that if we emulate the messenger, we will somehow be privy to the richness of the information conveyed.
Wrong!
Unfortunately, those who have stumbled upon vast pools of wisdom sometimes confuse themselves with the wisdom they have discovered.
Ultimately, the messenger is not that important. Behind that person are deep reservoirs of information and wisdom that are available to us, if we take the time to seek them. The messenger is simply the person who opens the doors or points the way.
We are the ones who must walk the path for ourselves and plunge into the wisdom pools that are there for all of us.
Those who share their wisdom with us have had to seek for themselves. When we ” seek what they sought” – rather than seeking them- we have embarked upon life’s journey.
We need to learn to see the message behind the messenger, thank them for their wisdom, and use it for our own journey.
Today take the time to see instances where you have confused the message with the messenger.
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.