"Whenever we focus on what others need to do we give away our power and let ourselves off the hook."
John Izzo
'Stepping Up', (2012)
While this quote is tied to standing back and expecting others to step up to create positive change, it has some very interesting implications in the area of criticizing others' performance.
One conclusion: We will be far better off if we learn to step aside and analyze our own actions and motives before we criticize other people’s actions and motives.
So this John Izzo quote has value in two areas.
When we face problems we can:
- step up rather than step aside and
- step up rather than step on other people.
At least every once in a while, each one of us feels the urge to criticize other people's words, actions and motives. In a sense, we feel the urge to step on other people. Before we step on others, we ought to take a breath, take a time out, step aside, and think about our own motives and actions. If we cannot do this then we must understand our criticism of others is probably not well grounded. It is biased. It is flippant. It is reactive. It is poorly thought out.
Also, if we cannot step aside and hold back on criticizing others when they are doing the best they can then we likely lack the ability to step up and do things beyond the things we are currently doing. And, even if we do have the ability to step up our motives will likely be flawed. Rarely do flawed motives result in successful stepping up.
So -
Stepping aside is better than stepping on and stepping up is better than stepping aside.
If we step on we are stepping toward failure.
If we step aside we are in a position to watch success.
If we step up we are stepping toward success.
Self-knowledge unlocks success.