Do as I say, not as I do, is a proverb. We will examine the meaning of the proverb do as I say, not as I do, where the expression came from, and some examples of its use in sentences.
The admonition do as I say, not as I do, is an acknowledgement that the speaker is being a hypocrite. The speaker is acknowledging that his actions are in direct opposition to his words—he is not upholding the standards that he demands from others. People in authority often used the proverb do as I say, not as I do, to let others know that the speaker is above the law; the rules do not apply to the speaker. The expression do as I say, not as I do, can be traced to John Selden’s work, Table-Talk, pubished in 1654: “Preachers say, ‘Do as I say, not as I do.’”
Examples
In a classic case of “Do as I say, not as I do,” though, Lahan has repeatedly turned down venture funding since launching Cloudinary in 2012. (Forbes)
And then there was his “do as I say, not as I do” moment when he attended a dinner at the ritzy French Laundry restaurant in Napa Valley. (Los Angeles Times)
California’s “do as I say, not as I do” mentality is creating a lack of credible leadership in the state and that is trickling down to the respective counties. (Pleasanton Weekly)