Becoming An Outstanding Person | Silence – Week 2 of 12 |

This article is part of the How To Become An Outstanding Person In Twelve Weeks series. The twelve weeks will allow you to tap into your hidden potential and become a productive power house like the infamous “first American”, Benjamin Franklin.

While I believe that anyone and everyone could accomplish “outstanding” status, I also believe that it takes dedication and elbow grease. I present you with a step-by-step guide to accomplishing this goal, just dig in and start now.

The way the excel journals function is that I work on one virtue per week, concentrating all my efforts on the task as hand, while recording the slip ups in the other virtues as they progress naturally. I won’t comment on the slip ups until that specific virtue gets its week.

Silence (Week 2 of 12)

Silence

My progress with Silence.

Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation. This virtue is particularly important because it eliminates hours of wasted time, in the form of gossip and pointless conversation.

In order to stay away from gossip I found myself asking myself “what is my intention”. This is something I picked up from a friend. In order to stay focused he put signs on most of the walls in his house that read “what is my intention”. While I did not make signs, I used this technique before contacting or responding to a person and often while in the middle of conversations.

This virtue enabled me to be more direct and get to the point of a conversation, without being side tracked. It wasn’t too hard to implement when you focused your attention on it for a week. The payoff is truly great. I feel like that by not participating in such negative conversations I was able to, in a way, rid my world of these things. Out of sight, out of mind.

What silence does not mean is avoiding all leisurely conversations, that could serve as entertainment or support for someone. If it benefits others or yourself, it’s still worth talking about.

Becoming Outstanding Series

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Posted by Alex Shalman in Goal Setting, Personal Development | March 6, 2007 | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumble | Print | 16 comments

  1. Aaron M. PottsNo Gravatar
    Aaron M. PottsNo Gravatar said on March 6th, 2007 at 11:14 pm

    Alex,

    Your “what is my intention” bit reminds me of a similar concept I use that accomplishes the same thing.

    Whenever I am having doubts about whether or not to say or do something, I simply ask myself:

    “Will this take me towards or away from my long-term goals?”

    If the answer is “away,” then that thing does not get said or done!

  2. Alex ShalmanNo Gravatar
    Alex ShalmanNo Gravatar said on March 7th, 2007 at 11:38 am

    Thanks Aaron… that’s how it usually works… it’s either towards or away, not to be confused with somewhere in the middle… because that’s away too.

  3. Sania WyattNo Gravatar
    Sania WyattNo Gravatar said on March 7th, 2007 at 3:51 pm

    I just can’t imagine life without a bit of gossip. ;)

  4. Alex ShalmanNo Gravatar
    Alex ShalmanNo Gravatar said on March 7th, 2007 at 5:52 pm

    I must be developing psychic abilities, I knew you would say that Sania

  5. Culture Shiok!No Gravatar
    Culture Shiok!No Gravatar said on March 14th, 2007 at 9:47 am

    I think this one will be easy for me

  6. Alex ShalmanNo Gravatar
    Alex ShalmanNo Gravatar said on March 14th, 2007 at 9:49 am

    Do you plan on keeping up with the whole program?

  7. Kara-Leah MasinaNo Gravatar
    Kara-Leah MasinaNo Gravatar said on March 29th, 2007 at 8:34 pm

    I’ve noticed when I’m out and about socially with people that most of the conversation does tend to focus around ‘gossip’ – who’s doing what and what the people speaking think & feel about it. It doesn’t matter whether they’re discussing politicians, celebrities or friends and associates…

    It becomes a way to bond, to demonstrate what you believe and what’s important to you, and to find out who else thinks the way you do.

    So as I do my best NOT to gossip, it brings up an interesting issue… how can I participate and therefore ‘bond’ without betraying my intentions to always com from a place of love and non-judgment?

    Quite the conundrum, and suggestions welcomed!

    Much joy,
    Kara-Leah

  8. nashNo Gravatar
    nashNo Gravatar said on December 7th, 2008 at 6:17 am

    I felt really very good after reading it.




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