You know who they are…

Those who make an exception not to be an asshole.

Those who derive pleasure by causing other people pain.

Those who stir shit up just for kicks.

Those who COMPLAIN about everyone and everything, but do nothing to CHANGE anything.

Those who delusionally believe that they are always right, and the rest of us dumb asses are fucking clueless.

Those whose interpersonal communication skills are so shitty, it’s literally stunning to others who witness it.

Those whose intrapersonal communication skills are A) non-existent, or B) exist within a permanent state of denial producing a fantasy land that even they’ve come to misinterpret as “reality.”

You know the type, and their destructive ways.

This is ad-DICK-tion at the core. It’s pervasive, but can be treated.

You see…

Like any other addiction, many will deny they have a problem.

Like any other addiction, many will justify and rationalize why it’s necessary to engage in this type of problem-behavior, and will argue in defense of the defenseless.

Like any other addiction, being a dick is a progressive illness. It gets worse over time as it becomes the person’s attention-getting tactic and ultimately their adopted identity. The behavior then repeats and builds momentum.

Like any other addiction, the outward symptom (the “dickness”), is usually very overt, and very hard to handle.

Like any other addiction, the inward root cause of the behavior, not necessarily the behavior itself, is the real problem and what ultimately needs attention and treatment.

Like any other addiction, the solution starts with honest awareness and identification of the core problem(s) underneath.

Like any other addiction, the solution continues only with a willingness to do the work to change the thinking. This is then is what ultimately leads to behavior change.

Just like any other addiction, being a dick is a choice.

And, like any other addiction, a person can choose to change themselves, change their way of living, and change their outcomes.

The concept is simple, but it’s not easy.

Change is only possible provided you’re willing to put in the effort and endure the uncertainty and discomfort along the way toward an improved end-result.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering…

Yes, I can be a dick at times. Sometimes I feel like being a dick. But most of the time I choose not to be a dick. Life is too short for that crap. There’s too much good to see, and too much good to do, to waste time being a dick.

So, don’t be a dick. Choose otherwise.

At the end of day, nice wins.

Agree or disagree; just no apathy.

Stay tuned-in…

Tom Leu, MS, CPC is a speaker, photographer, musician, & ‘head-rocker’ at www.tomleu.com & www.16imaging.com. A member of the National Speakers Association, Tom talks shiFt via principles of Communichology™.

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