Inspiring change in others
Hey Everyone, Something I was thinking about recently: how can we influence others to change in a way that benefits them? I think a lot of it depends on who the advice is coming from. For instance, it seems that parents rarely listen to their kids. For example, when I started my fitness lifestyle in my teen years, I told my father multiple times to cut back on junk food and sugary drinks, and encouraged him to come to the gym with me. He wouldn’t have any of it, and didn’t listen to anything I said, even if I backed it up with scientific evidence. After all, I was his kid, still in high school. What could I possibly know? However, a decade or so later, his doctor warned him that he was at risk of developing type two diabetes and gave him a choice: cut the crap and exercise more, or take daily medications. He hated the idea of having to take a pill for the rest of his life, so he cut out pretty much all of his junk food, alcohol and sugary drinks almost immediately, despite enjoying them for decades prior, made a point of walking much more, and even scheduled fasting into his routine. He quickly lost a lot of weight and avoided the medications. The advice from the doctor was pretty much the same as mine, yet it came from a health authority figure whom my father respected and took seriously, rather than from his kid. That seems to have made all the difference. Nowadays, another family member is suffering from health issues, and I am not sure how to approach him about it, or even if I should. He seems to follow the advice of the doctors, but that advice is often outdated and false, at least here in Japan. For instance, many doctors tell their patients to avoid eggs due to cholesterol, yet say nothing of stopping alcohol, sugar and bread. Most say nothing of the benefits of fasting either. What to do? Who am I to say the doctors are wrong? Perhaps my own good health plus references to relevant experts and research would be sufficient to inspire change, perhaps not. It is unclear at this point, and one has to tread carefully when giving advice that contradicts that of a trusted ‘expert’.