“The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.”
– Paulo Coelho
We all have opinions. And now more than ever, those opinions have the opportunity to be voiced.
In this day and age, we can have a thought, form an opinion, and tell it to the digital masses mere seconds later. Whether it’s a tweet, post, comment, video, article, or podcast, the world is at our fingertips. We need only to press a button.
But what does forming and sharing opinions really accomplish? Depending on the message and your audience, you might get approval and agreement and have people think well of you. Or you might generate disapproval and disagreement and have people get mad at you. Your words might offend a few people while garnering praise from many others—or vice versa.
Whatever the reaction to your opinion, in the end, what has been accomplished through it? What has changed? What has improved?
As Paulo Coelho very simply but very wisely put it: “The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.”
So next time you’re thinking of putting an opinion out there for the world to see, stop for a moment and think. “This is my opinion. Is it also my example? Do I live this out in my daily life and choices, or is it merely words?”
You can change the world. One example, one action, one step at a time!
