Dirty motto — do as I say, not as I do

Stacks of papers thrown across the table with plastic cups taking up the smallest of open space.

It was a piled mess.

Gym socks — sweat-yellowed beyond fresh — are on top of a barely standing pile of sweatshirts, jeans, and whatever else that was stacked in the corner of the room.

Have you heard of do as I say, not as I do? It’s a cop-out phrase for controlling strangers with rules you won’t abide by. Some are more equal than others.

We stopped by to pick up a pool player and head down to shoot a couple of rounds with the guys.

He was chastising his 12-year-old boy because the kid’s room was cluttered.

The conversation was short-lived:

“These clothes better be hung in the closet and soda cans picked off the floor.”

“But there are cans on the floor in your room” said the kid.

“Quiet. Do as I say, not as I do.”

Sincerity is words aligning with actions. Think of a person you admire. If you unwrap their layers, you’ll find sincerity is a major piece of the puzzle. It’s their ability to talk the talk and walk the walk.

When actions are out of sync with words

You get these common scenarios:

• Personal trainer teaching you about strength while being out of shape.
• A friend joining a multi-level marketing “business” trying to convince you that you TOO can be a millionaire.
• A parent berating their kid for being overweight while being overweight themselves.
• A smoking parent that tells their kid to stay away from cigarettes.
• A short-tempered person giving you advice on managing anger through love.
• A righteous follower quick to condemn your sins only to be publicly caught in those sins.

Next time you hear do as I do, not as I say — don’t feel bad. Respond with walk the walk before talking the talk.