I like you – is supposed to be start of relationship. This can be any ‘ship’ may it be preceded with friend or court (friendship or courtship). However there is another ‘like’ that has started haunting our lives in a very peculiar way. Social media ‘like’. I was so surprised that how lethargic I have become in just clicking ‘like’, may it be on Facebook or LinkedIn or Twitter or Instagram, the easiest way forward is, even without reading and then understanding the post people just click like and move forward.

Thanks to someone in Facebook who a few months ago added a few more smileys to the Like option yet I often come across posts that are for obituary for example and people still click “LIKE”. I had recently posted a free online training session on ‘How to Plan 2018’ post on all mediums. All I had asked people was to send me their Email ID and Whatsapp no so I can register them for this free session. I got over 2000 views and 600 likes and guess what? Only 2 people sent me their details for registration. The most interesting part was when some one sent me a message being annoyed saying “I liked your post 3 days ago and still I have not received your email or whatsapp confirming that you have registered me.” Another message came as a comment on the post saying “Same too you”.

I started wandering, isn’t this what we are doing with our lives and relations and day-to-day communication. We just “LISTEN to RESPOND” or “READ to REACT”, whereas the way it should have worked is like all great leaders, influencers and communicators we need to develop the habit of “LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND” or “READ TO COMPREHEND”. Another great quality of successful people is “OBSERVATION”. When a normal person “LOOKS to SEE” successful people “LOOK to OBSERVE”.

If only these two qualities are practiced and enhanced there will be more peace and harmony in and around us. Anger and stress management issues will be history. Love and compassion will be the order of the day. All it takes is to “DO to OTHERS what YOU WANT others to DO to YOU.” So if you want others to respect you, respect them first. You want love give love. It is so simple a formula “JUST GIVE” and you will get whatever you want. It has to start NOW. So next time you come across a post on Facebook or LinkedIn or any other social platform please read through it and better to add a comment or two rather than just clicking ‘like’. Maybe you will miss a fortune. Similarly, in life, in relations, at work, amongst friends be more observant as the MILLION dollar hints are always hidden not obvious. God Bless you.

Author Muhammad Ali is a Licensed NLP Trainer, Licensed Master Trainer of Body Language and Micro-Expressions, Licensed Silva Ultramind ESP Instructor, Life and Career Coach.