A true story points to a universal truth about human beings: we learn best by
imitation. President Calvin Coolidge once invited friends from his hometown to
dine with him at the White House.
Unsure of their table manners, the guests decided to imitate the president. They
watched closely to see which utensils he used, what foods he ate and when.
Their strategy seemed to succeed until coffee was served. Coolidge poured some
coffee into his saucer. They did the same. He added sugar and cream. His guests
did, too. Then the president bent over and put his saucer on the floor for the
cat!
Like Coolidge's hometown guests, we, too, seem to learn best by imitation. Kids
learn by observing parents when they are young, and by copying their peers as
they grow older. They learn by observing television and movie characters as
readily as the lives of actual people. Adults learn best by modeling a
personality trait or skill in another which they want to adopt.
Perhaps you want to develop better social skills. Or maybe you want to learn how
to organize, how to sell a product or relate to a child. Just about any trait or
skill can be learned: find it in someone and copy it. And the best part is --
you can do it today!
Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please
authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances
dictate.
Thanks to Life Support
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