Jan 22, 2013 4:35 AM GMT
Part of being a good friend it to always encourage your friends to be the best that they can be, to reach for the stars and to live their dream. It's important to create a space of positivity and happiness for those closest to you, but what happens when your encouragement leads the person down the wrong path?
Where do you cross the line between encouraging your friends to live their dreams and keeping them from going down a clearly wrong path?
I have a friend who wants to compete next year in his first bodybuilding competition, but he is no where near the condition needed to compete. He lacks muscularity, definition and symmetry, not to mention he looks like a square block on legs. I don't have the heart to tell him to wait until he's ready because I would have to tell him that he doesn't look as good as he thinks.
It reminds me of American Idol where you have these people come on the show and clearly can't sing and lack any kind of talent. You would have Simon Cowell, back when he was on the show, ridicule them telling them that whoever told them they could sing was clearly lying to them. I don't want to be that person that creates a false image of my friend lying to him when I should be saving him from such embarrassment and ridicule.
Should I just encourage him anyway and let life be his teacher and lead him where ever it takes him, or should I be honest with him and tell him to hold off until he's better prepared?
Are you guys painfully honest with your friends, or would you lead them down a path of embarrassment just to be that so-called positive, good friend?
Where do you cross the line between encouraging your friends to live their dreams and keeping them from going down a clearly wrong path?
I have a friend who wants to compete next year in his first bodybuilding competition, but he is no where near the condition needed to compete. He lacks muscularity, definition and symmetry, not to mention he looks like a square block on legs. I don't have the heart to tell him to wait until he's ready because I would have to tell him that he doesn't look as good as he thinks.
It reminds me of American Idol where you have these people come on the show and clearly can't sing and lack any kind of talent. You would have Simon Cowell, back when he was on the show, ridicule them telling them that whoever told them they could sing was clearly lying to them. I don't want to be that person that creates a false image of my friend lying to him when I should be saving him from such embarrassment and ridicule.
Should I just encourage him anyway and let life be his teacher and lead him where ever it takes him, or should I be honest with him and tell him to hold off until he's better prepared?
Are you guys painfully honest with your friends, or would you lead them down a path of embarrassment just to be that so-called positive, good friend?
