Walk the Talk

 Walk the Talk

I love walking my two crazy Jack Russell terriers - and they love going for each and every walk. Once on the street, they’re intent on sniffing everything, to the point that it seems the point of the walk is not to walk but to discover all the wondrous things on the street. And whether you’ve two or four legs, discovering all of life’s wonders is this week’s point.

Trouble is, most of the time we’re so fixated on getting from point A to point B that we don’t stop to sniff all the interesting stuff that’s all around us:

• Because we’re often too busy to stop, too busy to listen, too busy to notice the things that could and should mean something, too busy to learn, too busy to really care.  
• Because we think that there’s something more important someplace farther on and we’ve got to get there before we miss it, while missing the things that are already here.  

But think about what do you do with what you find: do you really stop and study and admire it, do you learn all you can about it, do you share it with others, do you consider whether and how to improve it, do you treasure and nurture it OR do you just walk by with nothing more than a casual glance? Truth is, we know the answers to these questions and we know what’s the right thing to do: it’s called Walking the Talk (which I often think about when Walking the Dog).

Go ahead: consider all the resolutions and promises you’ve made and the hopes and expectations that others have of and from you and the dreams that you all have; make the most of these by knowing what you’ve found and what you should do with these and how they might affect others. It’s being true to what you know and that’s what Walking the Talk is. It leads to being what you know you should be or doing what you know you should do even when nobody’s around or looking. It’s about integrity. And at the end of the day or the end of your life, that’s all you’ll have. No reason to take your eye off that ball and negatively impact that – ever.  Absolutely no reason.

This past week I buried a dear friend and celebrated his life – the latter helped soothe the former. I also addressed a group of HR colleagues and got them to laugh and learn about the things they do and take for granted - the laughter helped them to refocus on and re-commit to their work. In each of these very different events the walk was eased by focusing on how to best Walk the Talk. These were microcosms of the broader lives we lead and it was good to be reminded of the bigger pictures that always surround us.

So whether you’re walking the dogs or just walking around by yourself, make sure you’re Walking the Talk today and every day. Easier said than done, I know, but no reason not to keep on trying. And any little bit you do today is better than none; and that’s the truth.

So the point this week is to lead a life of integrity and today’s quote and message is all about that:

“Conscience is a man's compass.”

-Vincent van Gogh

Vincent Willem van Gogh (1853 – 1890) was a Dutch post-impressionist painter whose work had a far-reaching influence on 20th century art for its vivid colors and emotional impact. His sadness and depression mixed with an incredible talent and produced some of the most memorable Impressionist Art.

Do you have a compass? Growing up we had a compass in school that was used to draw a perfect circle. Then there was the pocket compass that came in the Cracker Jacks box that we used to find true North. These gadgets symbolized the best way to find our way and it’s not surprising they share a name and idea with what we use internally to find right from wrong. These paths are most often clearly marked but sometimes they’re not followed. So, what’s to stop us from veering off a path you know is right? It’s your conscience - that voice inside your head that’s constantly telling you to make the adjustments you know are needed. Do you listen to that voice? Do you note the readings on the moral compass that’s guided by your conscience? If you’re the kind who responds to the wrong signals or fails to note the obvious external signs or ignores the warning feelings in the pit of your stomach – stop what you’re doing, pay attention to these signs and react to your more real internal compass today. And let your conscience be your guide.

Stay well!