Be the Principled Person

A friend took up gardening during the pandemic, and it turns out he has a green thumb. His natural knack gave him a bumper crop, which sounded great to me. But he rolled his eyes when he talked about one big, overzealous mistake. He laughed, “I’m ready for the change of seasons, but that zucchini just keeps going. Do me a favor: Pray for frost!”

I guess the axiom that you reap what you sow is true. In his case, literally! But reaping what you sow isn’t just a warning about payback. If you change what you sow, you can change your results.

Let me tell you what happened when actor, author, and drug counselor Danny Trejo decided to make a permanent shift in the seeds he sowed.

Danny Trejo Sees the Light

Danny Trejo’s massive tattoos and growling voice might make you think his break-out role in “Machete” was typecasting. Even Danny knows he can be intimidating. But do you want to hear a secret about Danny Trejo’s reputation? He’s known for being a nice guy.

It took him a long time to get there. He was first arrested at the age of ten, and was already using drugs and acting as a runner for dealers. His future seemed like it would be a hopeless mix of crime and incarceration.

But everything changed after a prison riot. After hitting a guard with a rock, solitary confinement left him with plenty of time to reflect. Trejo quit using drugs, joined a 12-step program, and began showing others how to walk a new path.

He didn’t plan to become an actor. His sudden break came after an emergency call to come to a movie set to help someone struggling with addiction. Now with over 400 credits to his name and counting, Danny has a simple mantra he uses to encourage others: “Everything good that has happened to me has happened as the direct result of helping someone else. And that’s the way I live.”

How to Use Soft Skills to Be the Somebody

In the September series, Be the Somebody, we’re talking about how you can use soft skills to step into inspiring roles. You might listen to Danny Trejo’s dramatic story and think you can’t relate. But here’s the connection: He decided to stop sowing into the winner-takes-all, what’s it in for me attitude of the people around him. In its place, he chose to live by higher principles, one conversation, one situation, and one day at a time.

Like Danny, you may be ready to take your ideals off the shelf and put them to work for you every day. (Great Resignation, anyone?) However, you may look at old-school, corrosive attitudes that seem to be everywhere and wonder if it’s possible. Here are real-world examples of how soft skills can help you put your toe in the water:

1. Switch from being the person who cuts corners because their co-workers do. Instead, use healthy self-esteem to conduct yourself with integrity and authenticity.
2. Reject the temptation to shut down uncomfortable conversations through force. Instead, use adaptability and discernment to de-escalate when trouble starts brewing.
3. Leave behind the attitude of “I didn’t give them a choice.” Instead, use empathy to listen to understand.
4. Forget being the person who accepts tired methods and approaches. Instead, use creativity to pioneer visionary ideas.

You’re the boss of how you show up. So, the next time someone tells you that the only way to be successful is to work at someone else’s expense, remember Danny Trejo’s line: “Everything good that has happened to me has happened as the direct result of helping someone else.”

When outer circumstances are stormy, keep your character and conscience front and center. In fact, the darkest, most confusing times are when your best self is needed the most. So, decide that doing the right thing is simply the way you live. Be the Somebody that brings your principles to life.