Be innocent!

Many of you may remember Yogi Berra. He was the catcher for the New York Yankees back in the 1950's and '60's and he has been credited with many famous sayings. Probably the most popular one is, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it!"

While Yogi was one of the most colorful people who has ever lived, he is the person I think of when I think about being innocent. Recently I heard someone share a story about Yogi that reminded me of just how innocent-minded a person really can be.

In the late 1960's someone started a strange phenomenon called "streaking". For those of you who may be too young to remember what a "streaker" was, let me explain. Basically it was a person who would run "buck naked" across an athletic field right in the middle of a game. They could be seen by all of the fans, and the nation as well, if the ballgame was being televised. It created quite a stir, as you can imagine.

Because they could get into serious trouble for their activity, the streakers often put a bag over their head so no one would know their identity. When Yogi got home from one particular game, he told his wife that someone had jumped out of the stands completely naked except for the bag over their head and ran across the field interrupting the game. His wife asked him, "Was it a male or a female?" Yogi responded, "How should I know? They had a bag over their head!" Now that is what I call being innocent!

I believe that a good approach in any given situation is from a standpoint of innocence; approaching it with an open mind and open heart. If you find that there is not a spirit of cooperation being offered back to you, then perhaps you should become more wary of what is taking place.

Most of you know that I teach the Model of Human Behavior. Research indicates that 65% of the general population is more people-oriented, while only 35% of the population is more task-oriented. That means that two-thirds of the time we should approach individuals with a relationship in mind, while only one-third of the time approaching an individual with a task as our focus.

I have discovered that we can easily make the necessary adjustment if we approach people from a relationship aspect and they are more focused on a task at hand. However, it is not as easy to make the adjustment if we have approached a person from a task-oriented perspective before establishing a relationship with them. In that case, they may feel offended, used or abused. The whole attitude of relationships with an innocent approach and a heart-felt intent will carry the day in the long run.

I do not mean to imply that we should go through life with blindfolds on, simply letting everyone we meet take advantage of us or run over us. I just think it is very important to approach people with a genuine innocence about us that communicates that we do not think they are "out to get us."

It has been my experience that if I approach people with a genuine, sincere heart of love, appreciation and gratitude for all they have done for me in the past, or all they are trying to do for me at the present time, that is the best way to build relationships and the best way to build a life. If we plant good seeds, we will reap a good crop.

I have found this to work for me and I am sure you will find the same.

This information is provided in congruence with Personality Insights USA.