Treat people the way you want to be treated. The golden rule to life. There is no better legacy to leave behind than that of being kind.

A wise person shared this with me recently....

Don’t be an asshole just to get ahead in life. You can be an assertive, strong-willed, and charismatic success without treating other people like shit. The key is in the words you choose, and how you behave towards those around you. Making other people feel small and powerless doesn’t make you a powerful person. It makes you seem like a pathetic, petty tyrant who needs to cut people down in order to make yourself feel stronger and more important. You are no greater or lesser than anyone else on the face of the earth, so it’s vital to treat others with respect and courtesy.

People who achieve greatness aren’t just recognized for what they’ve accomplished, BUT HOW THEY DID SO. Did they build others up or crush them beneath their boots in order to climb higher?

Those who intentionally step on others, sabotage their own future. Intentionally causing harm creates negative energy, which attracts negativity. This is a downward spiral with no bottom. People who become caught up in this make matters even worse as they continually step on others as a frantic attempt to climb out of their ever deepening hole.

Ultimately it’s up to the individual to determine what kind of person they face when they look in the mirror, and whether they can be proud of who they are, and how they got there.

Why do people act this way? Fear of loss. Insecure people compensate for this emotion by stepping on others. This flawed approach is intended to make themselves feel better by causing others to feel worse.

Any illusion of short term gains or emotional satisfaction is misleading and fleeting. How you treat others impacts what is brought into your life. Your success is directly connected to how you treat others. There is never a downside to treating people the right way.

When you are on the receiving end of these actions, it takes strength and courage to take a step back and remind ourselves: Other people’s actions are not about us, they are about them. If we are at peace with ourselves, we don’t feel the need to spew venomous emotions on to those around us.