Living with the Two Tyrannies of Life

Several years ago I got certified to teach the best management course I have ever seen. I read several business leadership and management books every year. This course is far superior to any one suggested in any of these books. The course is called Model-Netics. It was developed by Harold Hooks, the head of Main Event Management.

One of the models taught in the course is called "Two Tyrannies." Simply stated, there are two tyrannies in life: things will change and people will judge you. This is always true. Things will change even if you decide not to change with them. The world still goes around. You can decide to adapt to, improve and employ good changes or you can resist these changes. You can decide to go along with and participate in good changes or you can resist these changes. Either way, you cannot keep all things from changing.

People will judge you no matter what you do. They will judge you if you do the wrong thing. They will judge you if you do the right thing. They will judge you if you do nothing at all. You may be able to affect how some people will judge you but you won't be able to keep people from judging you.

Therefore, if things will change no matter what and people will judge you no matter what, you should do the right thing to make the best changes. This won't keep some people from judging you wrongly. Your greatest altruistic act will be judged as selfish by some. The same is true of your greatest sacrifice. You simply need to know the person that you are. You need to know that you are doing your best to make the greatest positive impact.

I can never really ask myself if I am making everyone happy. I can't even ask whether I am doing what everyone wants. Neither of these will allow me to have any peace in my life. I have to know that I have pleased my God.

Yes, I suppose you still have to listen to people's judgement but at least you can live with yourself. Hearing the criticism is just part of living with the two tyrannies.

Remember what people said of the Apostle Paul:


2 Corinthians 10:10 (ESV)
10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.”

I appears he had to live with the two tyrannies too.