Respect is something that comes naturally without order or any form of force by which you intend to compel another to give you some respect. Some feel that respect comes as a result of title, social status, age, political influence, leading, tutor, riches etc. and by being some of these, will get them some respect.
WHAT IS RESPECT?
Respect is considered to be an attitude of consideration or high regard; some sees it as ones that has a good opinion. Longman Dictionary defined respect as “to admire someone because they have high standards and good personal qualities such as fairness and honesty” or “to be careful not to do anything against someone’s wishes, rights etc.”
You can see here with me that, those other qualities like; title, age, social status does not come in to play, although it is common in African countries that, when people have attained some good position in the society, they expect their subordinate to answer them by order, without any form of regard to them (subordinate). We can see these in churches, our communities, schools, offices and anywhere we get to meet people, their own ideology about respect dance around, title, status, position, sometimes age and they believe these achievement will get them some respect.
Respect goes far beyond the influence of our position in society in which people regard you in your present, respect is not something you command but you deserve it; it comes as a result of one’s high sense of good moral and attitude toward oneself and others around us.
HOW DOES ONE GAIN RESPECT?
- Respect Yourself: You must first of all respect yourself, we usually over heard people use these words and it often comes when our attitude toward them are rude. We must first of all have high regard and value for who we are, we must first of all look inward to see all our negative attitude that we have built against our self-worth, including the bad picture of us we portray to other around us through our attitude, you need to work on it. Love yourself, value yourself, cherish your strength and amend your weaknesses. No wonder Albert Einstein said “Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value”.
- Personal Development: These are certain quality that you have developed in yourself that makes you known for who we are. These qualities can be trust, honesty, sincerity and greeting habit etc. these are personal qualities that differentiate us from others and it is a message you preach to people on daily basis about yourself. When you have been able to develop these qualities, wherever you stand out, these qualities speak of you.
- Make it a Habit: This is the acts of maintaining your already developed virtue, and if we by any mean fail to keep them, people startle at our behavior. And the way they feel about us will change, so you can’t afford to risk that and they will assume you as a pretender or you have been faking your lifestyle. So the sure way is to make these qualities a lifestyle and a habit, so that whatever life comes with, you can stand firm to defend your character always through your deed and people will respect you for that.
- Strive for Reputation: Reputation is the name you have title yourself through your habit. At this point people no longer have doubt about who you are. It will be obvious that everyone can testify to who you are and when I mean strive, it mean that you don’t have to stain yourself ever again, with your ill manners. Your reputation show that you are a person of direction and focus, you can be trusted because of your reputation. Reputation is a life time image of who you are.
- Respect Other: This is a natural rule, that state; do unto others what you want others to do unto you. If you want to earn respect i.e. being regarded, you are to first regard others no matter how stupid they look before you, don’t try to equate yourself with them, i.e. if you’re better than them, you just respect them because it is the right path way in life, and when they notice that you have first shown them respect, you automatically earn your without a struggle, because people often relate with you base on how you relate with them.
“Respect is something you never get, if you never had it” – T.I. the bottom line is; Respect yourself, engage on Personal Development, Make it a Habit, Strive for Reputation and Respect Other. With these simple 5 steps, you don’t need to command respect, but you earn it because you work for it and you deserve it.
