The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: How Do You Change the World?

Recently, I saw an exhibition of paintings by a very talented artist. He clearly has a social conscience and his depictions of the pain and misery of disenfranchised and minority people are so vivid and real you can't help but feel the pain in viewing the paintings.

The artist is a warm, friendly, humble man whom I approached with a question, "does he ever paint another side of life?" He seemed interested in engaging in a conversation about it and frankly I was surprised at myself for even approaching him. I have never considered myself either knowledgeable or beyond too shy to talk about art to an artist this way. But, I felt compelled and in hindsight I know why.

As a '60's activist and an angry idealist, I would have wanted his pictures out there in the face of those whom I and he blamed for the social injustices he expressed so people would realize and wake up.

Well, decades later, I now know that doesn't work. I felt very strongly the pain of his pictures, couldn't view them for long, and also knew if he wanted people to buy them and take them home, he'd have a very small audience.

I asked if he'd consider using his brilliant artistic ability to inspire by painting beauty. I was surprised at what I was saying, because I have obviously metamorphosed from who I was in the past.

About a year ago, I decided that the 11:00 p.m. news was not a good pre-bedtime story and stopped watching it. If you look closely you will note that the "stories" are not necessarily chosen for their importance and useful information, but for entertainment and sensationalism. I can honestly say, my sense of well being has improved. When I watched the 11:00 p.m. news, my anxiety level heightened and with that I foolishly tried to begin a restful night's sleep.

As I thought about this man's art, honest as it is, it does not depict most of life. My new thoughts are that if we flood the world with goodness, inspirations, success, potential and love, my bet would be we'd get more of it. We don't get beauty by flooding the world with pain and horror. That just makes most people want to run away into denial.

The question I ask is, do you get more impetus for social change by showing people what is ugly or what is beautiful: what they want less of or more of?

As a coach I concentrate on helping my clients identify what they have that they want more of and downplay the opposite. My vote is that an atmosphere of goodness, beauty, open-mindedness, ability, talent, strengths and love will produce more of the same. Ugliness will produce more ugliness. Is this social art equivalent to the sensationalism of the 11 o'clock news?

About The Author

Dorene Lehavi, Ph.D. is principal of Next Level Business and Professional Coaching. She coaches Professionals and Business Partners and teaches teleclasses on techniques to break through barriers to the next level. Dr. Lehavi offers a complimentary coaching session so you can experience how coaching can work for you. Contact Dr. Lehavi at Dorene@CoachingforYourNextLevel.com or on the web at Http://www.CoachingforYourNextLevel.com. Subscribe to Mastering Your Next Level monthly e-newsletter at http://www.coachingforyournextlevel.com/newsletter.html

dorene@nextlevelpartnership.com

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Coaching Information:

Related Articles

Free Advice From Albert Einstein
What If You Could Ask Anyone For Help?Have you ever noticed how sometimes you are at your most creative when you are interacting with another person? You and your friend or acquaintance feed off of each other's ideas and help each other clarify things. Well what about those times when you are alone, or you have no one you wish to share your ideas with? What can you do then to stimulate creative thought and to find elegant solutions to your problems? You could try talking to Albert Einstein.
Four Common Rapport Building Mistakes and How to Fix Them
1. Pretending You Are Interested When You Are NotDo yourself a favor and be honest with yourself and the people you spend time with.
Executive Coaching
The higher you climb the ladder in this organization, the less chance you have of getting feedback about your performance. The working rule of thumb is "the farther up you go, the stranger things get," especially in the way you are reviewed and rewarded.
The Fastest Way to Ruin Yourself
I don't know many people who would admit to wanting to ruin themselves, but there are a lot of people who are doing everything they can to accomplish that very goal. They certainly don't see it that way, but if you look at the way they live, you can see it happening.
Mindfulness and Multiple Intelligences: 8 Ways to Pay Attention
How are you smart?Let me count the ways.Harvard professor Howard Gardner was the first to describe the concept of Multiple Intelligences.
Become More Self-Confident
Signs of Self-ConfidenceLet's explore the meaning of self-confidence by taking a quiz. Read the list of statements below and check which ones, in your opinion, are signs of self-confidence.
The Power of Visualization
Professional athletes and other highly successful people use the power of visualization technique on a regular basis. Why? Results of a 20-year study of the effects of visualization on results revealed an amazing discovery.
Pecked to Death By Ducks
Ever been in a situation where it seems like minor criticisms are all you hear? Sure, there are things you could improve, you know that . .
Eureka! I've Found It!
OK, so it wasn't quite that big of a deal. But I did find the "T" that mysteriously escaped from the word "not" in one of my articles a few months ago.
Dont Be Jealous - Be Inspired
When we see people do things we cannot do, or have things we don't have, it might be tempting to be a little jealous. But, jealousy doesn't lead to anything except resentment, and that isn't going to help you.
The $10,000,000.00 Question
When I asked my client, Amanda, what she would do if she won a $10,000,000.00 lottery prize, she quickly answered " I would move to Hawaii and sit on the beach all day.
The Mid-Life Challenge: Make a Plan to Re-ignite Vocational Passion
Nobody will stop you in the hallway at work to ask if your career provides meaning and personal fulfillment. Recognizing that something's missing in your vocational life and taking the initiative to change must come from within.
How to Save Yourself from Negative Influences
Watching the news can be hazardous to your health.It's a fact, especially when you're watching events related to terrorism, kidnapping, murder, accidents, or calamities.
Managing Your Perfectionism
What Is Perfectionism?This is the first of two newsletters that address perfectionism. In this issue, we will explore what perfectionism is and why it is destructive.
A Perrverse Confidante
Direct Answers - Column for the week of July 15, 2002Dad passed away years ago and Mom lives alone. She is still young and healthy, yet she always plays the victim.
The Incredible Rightness of Being
An Age-Old QuestionSearching for more meaning in our lives has been an age-old preoccupation for us humans. Why am I here? What am I meant to do? What's the point of it all? And, most importantly in the modern-day world, what is it that will make me happy?Dissatisfaction, or "Gimme More!"It is human nature that when we feel dissatisfied with something - be it our jobs, our homes, our relationships, or even our lives in general - we feel there is something missing.
Burn-Out ...Whats Next?
If you feel the heat of burn-out, it is possible to stop the fire before it stops you. Burn-out burns out confidence trust hope Burn-out can burn up your job your marriage your friendships There is a simple strategy for helping yourself prevent burn-out, especially if you are a person with more responsibilities than choices.
Good, Good, Good, Good Intentions
I always do a lot of thinking about good intentions in December.It's not because I'm inspired by the holidays.
Value Based Leadership Coaching
What can I do to be a better coach? The Eight Step Coaching Model describes the process, yet too often the focus is on techniques only. "How can I say it to win my point, get others to do things my way, or convince them?" Focusing only on one technique is fundamentally manipulative.
Grow Through It
It's past bedtime for most working men. It's not unbearably late and I have no appointments tomorrow morning so I sit here and contemplate.