A true story points to a universal truth about human beings: we learn
best by imitation.
President Calvin Coolidge once invited friends from his hometown to
dine with him at the White House. Unsure of their table manners, the
guests decided to imitate the president. They watched closely to see
which utensils he used, what foods he ate and when.
Their strategy seemed to succeed until coffee was served. Coolidge
poured some coffee into his saucer. They did the same. He added sugar
and cream. His guests did, too. Then the president bent over and put
his saucer on the floor for the cat!
Like Coolidge's hometown guests, we, too, seem to learn best by
imitation. Kids learn by observing parents when they are young, and by
copying their peers, as they grow older. They learn by observing
television and movie characters as readily as the lives of actual
people. Adults learn best by modeling a personality trait or skill in
another, which they want to adopt.
Perhaps you want to develop better social skills. Or maybe you want to
learn how to organize, how to sell a product or relate to a child.
Just about any trait or skill can be learned: find it in someone and
copy it. And the best part is -- you can do it today.
Steve Goodier
Publisher@... is a professional
speaker, consultant and author of numerous books. Visit his site for
more information, or to sign up for his FREE newsletter of Life, Love
and Laughter at
http://LifeSupportSystem.com. Get his eBook on the
healing power of humor, "Laughing All the Way," ( a $4.95 value) for
FREE -- a valuable gift for new subscribers!
