Inspiration – Doing, Not just Talking

Inspiration – Doing, Not just Talking

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Towards the end of 2008, I was invited to the Launch of the Soweto Project at the Ubuntu Kraal in Soweto and one of the things that became absolutely apparent was that people are tired of the ‘Talkers’.  One after the other people stood up and said “We have heard this ‘Talk Show’ before, when are we going to see the ‘Do Show’?”

I was amazed!

You see, lately (and I suspect for some time now) I have become more and more irritated with the number of ineffectual, time wasting individuals who are puffed up, like ‘hot air balloons’, with the amount of worthless gas and uninspired drivel that they seem never to run out of, as they stand up on their public platforms, and pontificate.

From politicians (who seem to be outdoing themselves at the moment as the political race to the finish line gets going), to trainers and coaches, from small business owners to the large corporate giants, they all have a story to tell and it seems to be the same story!  From the banks who tell you how serious the are about your money, or how motivated they are to the government bodies who are there, supposedly to assist you in growing the economy – the story is all the same.  It goes along the lines of “We are wonderful, we care about you so much that we will . . . .”  (fill in the blanks yourself), and at the end of all the sprouting and erupting, all the pontificating and posturing they deliver exactly . . . . nothing!

I am sick and tired of people who tell me what wonderful leaders they are, yet they couldn’t find the paper bag, let alone lead themselves out of one.

I’m sick and tired of the personal and life skills coaches, who tell you how you should live your life, yet should probably be committed to some sort of institution because of the mess that their lives are in.

I’m sick and tired of the politicians who talk about morality and ‘doing the right thing’ whilst groping in my pocket for my last cent!

I’m sick and tired of the ‘talkers’ who never deliver and who usually do the exact opposite of what it is that they are telling me to do!

Talk is cheap and it looks like it is getting a lot cheaper!

I want to find the people who ‘walk the walk’.  I want to find the people who DO what they say they will do, when then say they are going to do it and in the manner in which they say they are going to do it.

I want to find the people who do things themselves, in exactly the same manner as they tell me to do them.

I want to find the people who do what they say they are going to do, who consistently and deliberately take action on their promises.

I want to find the people who not only commit to things but who also make good on their commitments.

Those are the people that I want to follow and respect.  Those are the people that I want as my ‘role models’.

Those are the people who I want to mix with and do business with and refer to my colleagues, my clients and my friends.

Are you someone that I want in my ‘circle of influence’?

Are you a person who will be judged by what you do or are you just like them or are you just another bag of hot air that emits pollution into the atmosphere.

I know which person I want to be – do you?

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za