OBSERVATION: If you were given a wish from an all powerful genie as to one attribute for your children what would you choose. There are lots of candidate’s: honor, intelligence, perseverance, common sense, integrity – I want my kids to have all of this. But if I really could bestow on them one attribute I think it would be optimism.

Optimism is the most powerful of the children of positivity (experiencing the world and expressing oneself in positive  terms). Its siblings: gratitude, enthusiasm, cheerfulness, hopefulness are other attitudes that not only improve the way we experience our lives, they set into motion actions and reactions that dramatically improve the likelihood of success as well as happiness. People react positively to …

Character may determine our fate, but character is not determined by fate. The quest of an honest parent: Strive to be the person you hope your children think you are.

There’s no doubt that our character has a profound effect on our future. What we must remember, however, is not merely how powerful character is in influencing our destiny, but how powerful we are in shaping our own character and, therefore, our own destiny. Character may determine our fate, but character is not determined by fate. It’s a common mistake …

Recent Activities at Josephson Institute

What’s new and exciting at Josephson Institute? Here’s an update: Proposal for Colombia. I worked on a major proposal to the Secretary of Education of Bogota, Colombia. They are seeking bids on ways to help them initiate a comprehensive values education program in their 400 or so public schools. The idea is to integrate into their academic program the teaching …

MEMO From Michael

It’s been a busy month for us as we adjust to our new, very lean staff resulting from the downsizing last month. If you value what we do either personally or what we are doing for the world, please, please consider making a donation here. I know these are difficult times for everyone, but even $5 or $10 could make …

Critical Educational Outcomes: Model Standards for Academic, Social, Emotional, and Character Development. Making the Common Core easy.

This week we completed a monumental project: Critical Educational Outcomes: Model Standards for Academic, Social, Emotional, and Character Development. These standards, the first-ever effort to integrate all major educational outcomes, form the backbone of the new CHARACTER COUNTS! 4.0, a fully integrated school improvement and student development system any school can use. If you are an educator, please print them out and share …

We All Need to be Appreciated

The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated. – William James Expressing appreciation with words, a smile, or a hug costs so little and means so much. It can make a day or even change a life. — Michael Josephson

Think Outside the Box

Here’s the original test about thinking outside the box. The task is to connect all nine dots with four straight lines without lifting your pen from the paper or retracing any of the lines. Duplicate the dots on a piece of paper and try it. Solution on next page.

The Myth of the Little White Lie

So-called “little white lies” are not so little. Anytime someone discovers that you lied to them, for whatever reason, they ask themselves., “What else has he lied to me about?” And this seed of doubt can grow big enough to destroy trust. The ultimate test

OBSERVATION: Ignorant people can be both wise and kind and they are worthy of respect for the qualities they have, not contempt for those they lack.

I was surprised how many people responded to the posting on my What Will Matter Facebook page. It was a picture and quote from Aibileen Clark, a black maid in the movie The Help: “You is kind. You is smart. You is important.” I added this line: “Grammar doesn’t matter nearly as much as the sentiment – one that every parent and …

“You is Kind. You is Smart. You is Important.”

Grammar doesn’t matter nearly as much as the sentiment – one that every parent and every teacher should express to every child. Xanax online https://www.rpspharmacy.com/product/xanax/ “You is kind. You is smart. You is important.” – Aibileen Clark (from The Help) Buy Levitra 20 mg