Building Up By Shakespeare

“This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell, my blessing season this in thee!”

Hamlet Act 1, scene 3, 78–82

“To thine own self be true” is Polonius‘s last piece of advice to his son Laertes, who is in a hurry to get on the next boat to Paris, where he’ll be safe from his father’s long-winded speeches

Reading this in the original Elizabethan text can be somewhat “mind rattling”…

But let’s put it out there in “plain-folk” English.

Polonius thought his son’s borrowing of money, loaning money, running around with “loose” women, and other questionable pursuits were “false” to the self.  Negative actions that would be of no advantage to building up an individual, but rather tear down his son’s image.   By the word “true” he meant these as actions that would uplift and build up his son’s interests.

His advice was to take care of yourself and that your actions build up, rather than tear down.  And by building up yourself, you put yourself in the position to take care of others.

I am reminded of a scripture in the Holy Bible of Hebrews Chapter 10, verses 24 & 25  that reads “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another”.

The end of the year is a perfect time to evaluate the past year.  Did you build others up?  I won’t go into an explanation of what I think that question means, nor what I think you should answer.

Just ask yourself – In my actions last year, did I build up others?

And if the answer is no, What changes can I make so that no won’t be the answer next year?

As part of my Social Media Training, my promise to you is that 2011 will be a year of building up and that this website will be a tool that I can use to do so.  Please join “the Loop” if you would like to be a part of my “2011 Building Up Challenge”