“You don’t tell people you’re funny... You make them laugh, and then they make up their mind.”
My understanding
Sir John Hegarty puts it simply, but it says so much. Real impact doesn’t come from declaring who I am. It comes from what I do.
People don’t remember what I say about myself. They remember how I made them feel, what I delivered, and whether I followed through.
Whether I want to be seen as creative, kind, skilled, or trustworthy, it’s not about saying it. It’s about showing it.
Anyone can claim to be great. But people believe what they feel, what they see, what they experience. That’s what sticks.
This idea echoes an old storytelling principle: “Don’t tell, show.” A great character is revealed through actions, not narration. The same goes for people and brands. A logo, a tagline, or a manifesto might sound good, but they’re only meaningful when they’re backed by consistent action.
It also connects to something Simon Sinek once said: “People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.” Purpose and intention matter. People can sense when actions are aligned with genuine values. It’s not enough to talk about a mission. That mission has to be visible in everything I do.
And if I need proof that showing matters more than telling, I can look at how children learn. They don’t follow instructions from a manual. They watch. They mimic. They absorb the behavior of the people around them. A child doesn’t learn kindness because we say it’s important. They learn it when they see it practiced. It’s a powerful reminder that the most lasting lessons come from what’s lived, not what’s said.
I don’t need to convince people of my value. I just need to live it, and let others decide what that means to them.
Reminds me
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From Simon Sinek, “People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.”
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From Bill Moggridge, “If there’s a simple, easy design principle that binds everything together, it’s probably about starting with the people.”
Sources
