Mensch–What is a mensch???
The Transformation continues…I never understood the magic of this concept. So simply and beautifully explained by Guy Kawasaki. Simple tips to living our best lives. I was raised in a family that boasts brutal honesty, and I note now, more brutality than genuine and pure honesty, because the WHY behind what is said and done, bears as much gravity, if not more, than WHAT we say and do. Ambiguity and Incongruity have been life long sources of confusion and pain for me. I am only now learning now of purity of purpose and intent. For now, my recovery requires I limit proximity to given sources of brutal, incongruous, ambiguous. I am not yet resilient enough to navigate those but quite skillful at spotting and removing myself from that energy.
Listening to Enchantment by Guy Kawasaki affirming, for me, the things that matter, about being in this world and living a life of intention. Recovery has taught me to seek and to strive for emotional honesty with myself and others; transparency and full disclosure of intentions. Anything less is red flag behavior. I am a work in progress, unlearning and learning a new, one day at a time.
I love having more language and terminology as points of reference and a compass; more Good Orderly Direction—This↓ from Guy Kawasaki.
“Here is my humble attempt to help you achieve menschdom.
- Help people who cannot help you. A mensch helps people who cannot ever return the favor. He doesn’t care if the recipient is rich, famous, or powerful. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t help rich, famous, or powerful people (indeed, they may need the most help), but you shouldn’t help only rich, famous, and powerful people.
- Help without the expectation of return. A mensch helps people without the expectation of return–at least in this life. What’s the payoff? Not that there has to be a payoff, but the payoff is the pure satisfaction of helping others. Nothing more, nothing less.
- Help many people. Menschdom is a numbers game: you should help many people, so you don’t hide your generosity under a bushel. (Of course, not even a mensch can help everyone. To try to do so would mean failing to help anyone.)
- Do the right thing the right way. A mensch always does the right thing the right way. She would never cop an attitude like, “We’re not as bad as Enron.” There is a bright, clear line between right and wrong, and a mensch never crosses that line.
- Pay back society. A mensch realizes that he’s blessed. For example, entrepreneurs are blessed with vision and passion plus the ability to recruit, raise money, and change the world. These blessings come with the obligation to pay back society. The baseline is that we owe something to society–we’re not a doing a favor by paying back society.
I hope this helps you become a mensch. No need to thank me if it does–helping you is reward enough–ie, “Don’t menschion it.”
When we behave as mensches, we all win. Less wholesome vibes result in a winner and a loser. Mensches focus on goodwill, no matter who is watching. Be a mensch: Honest, Kind, Fair, Transparent. Who were your Mensche Models? Mensches NOT wenches!?
