Practice what you preach

1. Do yourself what you advise others to do.

Idioms and Phrases

Behave as you would have others behave, as in You keep telling us to clean up, but I wish you'd practice what you preach. This idiom expresses an ancient idea but appeared in this precise form only in 1678. Also see do as I say.

Example Sentences

"Also, try to practice what you preach."

Read more on Science Daily

“In a perfect world, you’d practice what you preach with your own funds,” Maviglio said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

As every politician, self-identified spiritual leader or seemingly kind talk show host knows, nothing brings controversy faster than the suggestion that you do not practice what you preach.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It’s a bit of practice what you preach for Monken, who has pledged to give Jackson more control in the huddle and at the line of scrimmage than he had with predecessor Greg Roman.

Read more on Washington Times

Here is an instance when it is wrong to practice what you preach.

Read more on Washington Post