“Remember Bennie, somebody's always watching.”

This reminds me of when I was young. As we would leave the house for school, to go to a play date with friends, or even when we started dating, my Mom would hug us and say, “Remember, somebody is always watching.” Initially, this was her way of saying first impressions mean everything, so enunciate clearly, look people in the eye, stand up straight, tuck your shirt in, comb your hair, or put lotion on your elbows, (she really had a thing with that one). For Mom, “somebody’s always watching,” also meant, “Don’t embarrass me. Act like I taught you something at home. “God please protect him.”

One of the most powerful search engines in the world is our power of observation. We naturally link our expectations to our presentations. The very moment you open your mouth to speak to someone, or the very moment you look another person in the eye (or fail to look them in the eye for that matter), you have introduced yourself to their expectations. The message they receive, you cannot control; the message you want to send, you have every control.

Mom was preparing me for the world of observers. To make sure that I met every opportunity as if it could lead to the recommendation for my next opportunity. Today, I make sure that the person that is watching me, is ME.