Smart Or Right
In some cases, being right can cause you a sense of joy and frustration at the same time.
Joy – because you're right.
Frustration – because it doesn't really help you...
I'd like to dedicate this article to the following questions:
What would you rather be right or smart?
Is it possible to combine between the two?
Is there a contradiction between your principles and values, and being smart?
Smart Or Right?
There are times the answer is crystal clear.
For years one of the best-known slogans in the context of driving is:
On the road – be smart, not right.
True, the driver who cut you yesterday didn't have to do it - you're right...
What would be the end of the story, if each and every one of us would cut back?
I'm not sure I want to know the answer…
In this case, I believe the principle of life outweigh many other principles.
Your cell phone bill is a classic example for this article - when you are charged (again) for a service you didn't ask for...
How could we define success in this case?
I think we could agree the cancellation of this charge would do it right?
What would some people do?
Call the costumer service, and start screaming at person on the other end of the line.
I'm not going to discuss right now whether it's legitimate, but I will note we can understand where it came from - the customer is frustrated and rightly so because of the (recurring) charge, for a service he/she didn't ask for.
Does it serve the goal?
I'm not sure.
In such cases I usually ask myself: "If you've been the representative on the other side, how motivated would you be to help this screaming customer?".
When someone is screaming at us - most of us focus on the screaming, just the screaming, the words being said by the screaming person thus, become irrelevant.
Obviously, there will always be someone that would jump and say (or probably shout :) "Some things happen - only if you scream!".
True... He's right too... But the emphasis is not all things are achieved by screaming, and in most cases - you'll have better results using a smart selection of words and tone of speech.
This brings me to the next topic:
Combine Wisdom And Righteousness
Is it possible?
The answer is - absolutely yes.
If on the example mentioned above, canceling the unnecessary charges will be considered a success - in most cases, a combination of both (wisdom and righteousness), will bring you faster to the goal.
If someone is waiting a while for a waiter that doesn't come (for whatever reason), an attitude that combines both wisdom and righteousness, would probably ensure a better service than a "rage attack" on that same waiter...
Your success in almost any field will take place, by using these two forces together.
What about education?
Kids love chocolate.
Parents want their children to eat healthy food and rightly so.
Is removing all the chocolate from the house will ensure that their children will not eat chocolate?
Will it implement the habit of eating healthy food in their children?
The answer is clear... after all, we were all children once...
There are smarter ways to "integrate" the parents justified desire for their children to eat healthy.
Here are just a few examples:
Gradually reduce the amount of chocolate.
Buy products such as sugar-free or with a lower amount of sugar.
Explain the rationale behind it.
Set an example and stop eating chocolate for yourself... :)
There is no shortage of creative ways as you can see.
Your Success Depends On It
Your success depends on adopting the right approach to these situations, there is no other way.
When you really think about it, the number of situations where there is a contradiction, between the principles that guide you in life, and being smart, are actually just a few.
In some other cases, there are "higher" principles that get prioritize (like the principle of life when you are on the road).
Ultimately, almost always there are more (smarter) creative ways, to maintain your principles and values.
The combination of being smart and right, can give you flexibility that will shorten the way to achieve your daily goals, and your goals for life.
If you choose to adopt this combination, you'll probably feel additional changes:
More people will be glad to assist you.
Your frustration and anger levels will drop down.
Your ability to put things into action will improve dramatically.
True, this habit is not easy to implement.
However, the strength of those changes mentioned above, changes that will occur over time - will push you forward and help you maintain this important habit.
I'd like to conclude this article with a quote that might remind you of the subject - every time your sense of frustration will increase:
"When you're angry, you'll give your best speech ever – that later on you'll regret forever…"Smart and Right – mix them together.
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