When my children were at an age where they could understand analogies I used "the person in the mirror." In trying to explain to them various virtues such as honesty, integrity, effort and many others I used "the person in the mirror."
I explained to them that when they looked in the mirror the person looking back at them would always be 100% truthful. If I asked them a question and I thought they might not be telling me the truth, I would ask them "what would the person in the mirror say?" The look on their face would tell me before they even answered.
When they began playing team sports I always preached to them, that they should always give 100% effort. If their team lost a game and they were feeling bad, I would ask them if the person in the mirror thought they played with 100% effort. I would tell them if the answer was yes, then I was proud of them and they should be proud of the way they played. I also told them that if the answer was no, then they should think about why and what they could do to make sure they gave 100% the next time they played. This philosophy carried them both through their college playing years. I credit this philosophy as a major reason why they each excelled both academically and athletically.
When they entered the working world I told them that if they gave the same effort and asked "the person in the mirror" the same questions they did during their youth, they would succeed in their careers. I explained to them that the average person does not give 100% and that their effort would be easily recognized by any of their superiors.
I think that "the person in the mirror" can serve us all well by answering questions such as.
Did I give 100% effort today in my job?
Am I truly embracing new concepts?
Am I striving to learn new skills to improve my performance?
Do I take responsibility for the results of my effort or do I look for someone or something to blame?
Am I doing everything I can to be the success I say I want to be?
If we ask these and other delving questions of" the person in the mirror", we can discover our weaknesses and begin to make the necessary changes to improve our performance.
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