2009 Time World's Most Influential 100...
From Zac Efron to Michelle Obama.
From Richard Phillips to Rick Warren.
and from Rush Limbaugh to Bernie Madoff.
Somehow I got it in my head that being influential was a positive thing. I don't think of someone like Charles Manson or Octomom being influential but if you go by Wiktionary's definition - influence falls from the just and unjust.
I also think there are 2 kinds of influence - world and personal. I have never met Tom Hanks but think he must be a good guy. On the other hand, I don't have to meet Nancy Pelosi to know, we wouldn't hit it off at coffee. The truth is while the world influences are important, the personal ones are essential. The people you hang out with influence us in ways we don't even recognize. Influence has power so who you hang out with, does matter. This definition creeps me out a bit, again I always thought of the good guys as being an influence and the bad guys as people you would naturally, stay away from.
Influence
1.The power to affect, control or manipulate something or someone; the ability to change the development of fluctuating things such as conduct, thoughts or decisions.
2.An action exerted by a person or thing with such power on another to cause change.
The truth is we are surrounded by influence everywhere. Marketers, advertisers, people. Even if you never left your home, never met a soul for coffee - you would still be influenced in the most personal of ways.
knock, knock
whose there?
O.J.
O.J. who
Welcome to the jury pool.
And to top it all off, you are not only a taker but a giver, You are influencing others - do you really want that on your shoulders? Too bad, nothing you can do...but be the best you - you can be and if you are like me, most days I fall pretty short. Are you one of the good guys or bad guys in certain places of your life? - believe me, I am preaching to the choir here. Time for me to do some reflecting...
