ABC's of Loyalty Part 1 (A-E)
written by P1
It is my belief that loyalty is one of the highest virtues a person can aspire to have. In fact loyalty is more than a mere trat it is a way of living, in which you are able to show unwavering love, support, and protection for a person or for a cause. Donald Trump states that he hires loyalty "above all else." Regardless of talent, aptitude, and intelligence the value he holds in highest regard is the other L word - Loyalty.
Listen to -- (Twista & The Speedknot Mobstas - Loyalty)
I echo the Don's sentiment and believe it is the most important trait to have. I myself consider myself very loyal, sometimes almost to fault. i would not have it any other way. In my experience in life it is those people that you have in your corner that you can count on and rely on time and time again that make life more productive and enjoyable. Trust is usually pretty easily given and attained. You trust the people at the restaurant to prepare your food correctly, trust cab drivers, bus drivers etc. to get you to your destination safely. However Loyalty only comes after many PROVEN, repeated, unwavering acts of trust. Loyalty relegates trust to second nature. Loyalty makes trust the expectation.
In this world of increasing individualism and smaller cliqueish or tribal behaviors Loyalty will become even more important as we bond with fewer individuals on a more deep level. With that I give you my ABC's of loyalty. I will do this in 5 parts. Each section will define words that are essential to Loyalty and explain why they are such. I would love to hear your suggestions, additions, alternatives, disagreements, and your own stories where loyalty has played an important part in your life. No matter if you are looking to become more loyal, or trying to assess loyalty in others, use this comprehensive list of posts as a guide and feel free to write me with questions or concerns or advice in your given situation! With that said here is my 2 Cents ( X5 = !0cents on Loyalty) YES IT IS THAT IMPORTANT!
Action - This may seem out of place because action usually flows out of all of the other traits and words that I will use later but it is one of the foundations of loyalty. I know it sounds very cliche but actions do indeed speak louder than words. So if you believe in a person or a cause and feel loyal to this person or cause you must back it up with ACTION. this can come in the form of listening, supporting, physically, spiritually or emotionally helping. This is the best proving ground to loyalty.
Belief - Belief is the basis for loyalty. If loyalty were a building Belief would be the basement. (so i thought the alliteration was cool) But indeed it is the very foundation. How can you be loyal to a person or a cause that you do not believe in? Belief stems from similar moral and value positions or common goals. There should be in your life, i believe, if you are a person of high character and moral nature, a belief or beliefs that you would be willing to die for. So when assessing loyalty you must know if you believe in the cause or person or they have a very strong unwavering belief in you!
Commitment - If Action and belief are at the base of loyalty it is the commitment that solidifies this base. Commitment is standing up time and time again for what you believe. Continuous action and continuous belief define commitment. It also brings you through the times when your loyalty will be tested. People who are committed stand up even in the face of adversity to remain loyal to what they believe in. Commitment is the decision to do this but commitment is the starter and catalyst of dedication.
Dedication - When commitment graduates, it becomes dedication. I love the dictionary definitions of Dedicate. One definition is to devote wholly and earnestly, as to some person or purpose. The other definition is to set apart and consecrate . The act of doing these things is dedication. I like the word devotion here because that goes hand in hand with loyalty. When you set this person or cause that you are loyal to apart from other things that may be responsibilities or hobbies, the become more sacred and more important and you show it through dedication.
Empathy - The final word in this section of the series is empathy. To be loyal you must be empathic. That is to be able to understand and relate to the situation of others, or more simply feel other peoples pain. It does not just have to be pain though it can be their joy as well. Empathy is important for loyalty because it binds you further to the person or cause that you are loyal to. There may be others who are loyal to the same person or cause and empathy helps you all to relate. Again here leaders, and causes have turbulent times and empathy will help you to be more understanding in these times, without faltering on your loyalty.
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