Language Is Not Only Spoken; What Are You Saying?

50. Language is not only spoken; what are you saying?

I have heard this statement before and stated in many ways. I was reminded of it while reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I believe it is an important question because if we are trying to reach levels of success and happiness, there may be things holding us back that we don’t see. We may have blind spots to how people perceive us and interpret us. This has some overlap with Tool 12, You never get a second chance at a first impression, and Tool 92, Dress for Success, but it is unique in its own way. To help you understand what this Tool is used for, there are many areas where you express who you are and what you are about and you may not even know it.

Let’s take a look at your house, for example. If we were to walk around your place right now, what would it tell us? Are there dirty dishes lying around? Is there lots of dust everywhere, maybe a few cobwebs? How about your car? Has it not been washed in a long time? Are there empty soda cans all around and are you still riding on that spare tire? How is your health? Are you overweight, tired all the time and smell like an ash tray? Do you have decent hygiene? Do you always look like you just woke up? How are your habits? Are you late all the time, forget to do things you promised to do, and overall have the habits of someone who commands little respect?

Obviously we all have cars that need to be washed now and then and there is always some tidying up around the house. But most of you know who the people are I am talking about who fit into this category. The perception of someone who has clutter in these areas of their life is that they are cluttered in their mind. It doesn’t make you a bad person. But we’re not talking about good or bad; we are talking about reaching levels of success and happiness and I suggest to you, if you are not reaching the goals and levels of success that you are shooting for, it may have a little to do with the mess you are sitting in right now. That mess is you and it is what you are speaking to everyone else. What are you saying?