Put Your Family First
I believe that when a leader puts their family first, the community benefits. When the leader puts the community first, both they and their family suffer.
Starting at home is always the key to affecting others in a positive way.
Being positive models at home is critical for your legacy. Remember, people (especially your children) don’t do what people say, people do what people see.
I grew up in a broken home. My parents divorced before I was a year old. Both my mother and father were married multiple times. We didn’t speak much about values or relationships (except the bad stuff!)
When I married my wife (twenty years this June!) I honestly never thought it would last. Divorce is all I experienced.
It’s hard to grow and improve when the only model you have is your own.
It wasn’t until I started to pay closer attention to other couples, couples who had lasted decades and their children, did I begin to learn what it truly meant to be a leader in your home.
Here are some of the modeled qualities I identified in these families. (Note: If you are not a person of faith feel free to skip other them).
Be sure that you are modeling and teaching and modeling strong values and principles in the home. This may include
- Daily Prayer
- Talking about the things of God
- Sharing faith and beliefs
- Practice giving over getting
- Visiting and helping those less fortunate
- Saying only positive things about others (especially in front of the kids)
- Eliminate judgmental behaviors
- Growing mentally and spiritually
- Showing a commitment to each other
- Having a relationship with God or your chosen Higher Power
If you have an immediate family, or a family you are close to, I want to encourage you to put them first in your leadership. There is no legacy like that of the positive influence a leader can exercise with his family.
If you want to impact your community, your country, or your world, the place to start is at home.
As you create your goals for 2023 and your daily “to do” list I encourage you to reflect on this: Am I truly placing my family first today?
Keep making a difference,
Dr. Tom
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