The annoyance of the good example

Mark Twain once said, “Few things are harder to bear than the trouble of a good example,” and while it seems like a rather strange statement on the surface, it’s very true when we take a closer look. We often hate being caught up in someone else’s stoic example when we could have done the same, in fact, we might even have thought to. Ah, the itch of regret!

Good examples heat up situations. They make potential leaders stand up and take notice, as if these leaders sense their own inadequacy.

Role models who act on the strength of their designated role are rarer these days than the norm, which is why they stand out. But then there are many. We all find ourselves in these roles, and we certainly notice others acting as good role models when they “sham” us, so to speak.

The common joke used to be: ‘Nobody likes smarties.’ And it seems that people with good intentions are sometimes modeled after those with bad intentions, certainly with respect to those with a guilty conscience.

But to return to the original point of Twain’s saying, we know that being a good role model is the way to lead not only others, but ourselves as well. For example, who sees when no one is looking? (Well…we do, of course.)

Good example motivated from without is a good thing, but good example motivated from within is a great thing, because here we have a spring of good intentions gushing out, a self-sustaining spring that promises to go on forever.

And this model of “model” not only continues, but flourishes in many directions. Surely there are few things better than being a good role model. Not only for others, but also for ourselves, this is a model of growth and life.

© SJ Wickham, 2009.