As you consider your goals for the New Year, I hope you’ll think about working on your character. No, you’re not too old and I don’t mean to imply you’re a bad person. As I’ve said often, “you don’t have to be sick to get better.” In fact, it’s a lot easier to make a good person better than a bad person good.
The struggle to be better takes place during our daily choices.
People of exceptional character stand out from the crowd because they develop the wisdom and strength to know and do the right thing in the face of pressures and temptations to do otherwise.
There are seven core qualities I call the Seven Cs of character: conscience, compassion, consideration, confidence, control, courage, and competence.
CONSCIENCE. Your conscience is your moral compass. Take care of it. Use it. Trust it.
COMPASSION. Nurture, express and demonstrate compassion by caring about, giving to and helping whomever you can, whenever you can in all ways that you can.
CONSIDERATION. Be considerate. Always be aware of how your words and actions affect others so you can do more good and less harm.
CONFIDENCE. Approach every opportunity and challenge with confidence that you are worthy enough and able enough to succeed. Never doubt your inner strength to overcome temptations, difficulties and misfortunes with honor and dignity.
COURAGE. Protect who you are and what you believe with courage. Master your fears and preserve your integrity by doing what you know is right even if costs more than you want to pay.
CONTROL. Control the emotions, urges and appetites that demean you, damage your name or diminish your future.
COMPETENCE. Continually build your competence, the knowledge, skill and ability to ethically and effectively solve problems
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts!
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I hope the 7 C’s of character is available as a poster! The message is timeless.
As the years move along now into my 7th decade, and the losses of life pile up; it seems the challenge of maintaining one’s courage and COMMITTMENT gets harder and harder. My faith plays a larger role, with love of family and friends growing it’s anchor as well; yet this idea of COURAGE has been very interesting. Intestinal fortitude while physical strength diminishes must come from the heart and soul; with the Lord’s gracious nourishment on a daily basis. Michael’s guiding lights, especially during his personally trying times prove to be invaluable and beautifully sustaining. A simple “Thank you Sir” hopefully can express my deep and enduring admiration and gratitude
:):) Miraculous GRACE — how can we ever fully understand? We probably were not intended to, hence the beauty of this amazing phenomena 