Advice for Time

Invest time; don’t spend it. Save time; don’t waste it. Enjoy the time you have; don’t regret the time that’s gone.

Good Intentions Fall Short

“Good intentions are simply not enough. Our character is defined and our lives are determined not by what we want, say, or think, but by what we do.” – Michael Josephson  

Living At Its Best and Its Worst

“Life is never so bad at its worst that it is impossible to live; it is never so good at its best that it is easy to live.” – Gabriel Heatter  

The Best Is Yet To Come

“Sometimes life doesn’t turn out how you expected or hoped. That doesn’t mean you can’t or won’t be happy. If you don’t

Insanity

“Insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result.”  – Albert Einstein  

A True Friend

“A true friend wants the best for you, brings the best out of you, and expects the best from you.” – Michael Josephson  

Change It Up!

When is the last time you did something for the first time? Isn’t it about time?  

Little Things Are Big Things

Enjoy and be grateful for the little things in life, for one day you will look back and realize they were the big things.  

Stay the Course

“It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius  

Good Ideas Without Action

“Good ideas without action are like beautifully gift wrapped boxes with nothing inside.” – Michael Josephson

COMMENTARY: Enough Is Enough

What does it take to make you happy? How much do you have to have to be grateful? To the barefoot man, happiness is a pair of old shoes.

COMMENTARY: Happiness and Purpose

As you celebrate the Fourth of July, please take time to discuss with your family the historical and spiritual significance of the Declaration of Independence and the 56 men who risked their lives issuing one of the great documents in human history. At the core of the Declaration is the profound assertion that each of us has an unalienable right …

COMMENTARY: Learning From Pigeons

During an experiment, pigeons were put in cages with one green and one red button.  In one cage, if the birds pecked the green button they would get food every time.  In the other, the green button yielded food erratically and the pigeons had to persist to get enough food.  In both cases, pecking the red button did nothing.  Both …

COMMENTARY: Being Decisive

Frank is a new supervisor who wants to do well. Maria consistently comes in late. When he confronts her, she makes a joke out of it. Hoping to win friendship and loyalty, Frank is painfully patient with her, but Pat, a conscientious employee, urges him to do more. Soon others begin to come in late, and Pat quits. Frank feels …

Love – Compassion – Respect

Let us hear and heed the better angels of our nature, the angels that call us to think and act beyond ourselves; to respect and care about the well-being of others in our human family; and to accept our moral duty to improve ourselves and the world.” – Michael Josephson    

Admiration

“When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.” – Abraham Joshua Heschel    

Counterfeit Success

“Creating the illusion of success through false, exaggerated or misleading claims is a form of counterfeiting. You may get away with it for a while, but eventually reality will find its way to the light and whatever you acquired with false currency won’t be enough to comfort or protect you when you are revealed as a fraud.” – Michael Josephson …

A Good Life is A Journey, Not A Destination

“I’m humbled to know I’m not all that I can be or all that I ought to be. But I’m proud that I’m better than I used to be and not as good as I will be.” – Michael Josephson    

The Formula For A Good Life

“What’s the use of a long life if it’s not a good life? The formula for a good life is to squeeze anxiety, jealousy, and resentment out of every day and squeeze in something to be grateful for and proud of.” – Michael Josephson  

We Would Those We Love Best

“There’s one sad truth in life I’ve found while journeying east and west. The only folks we really wound are those we love the best. We flatter those we scarcely know. We please the fleeting guest. And deal full many a thoughtless blow to those who love us best.” – Ella Wheeler Wilcox    

Self-Pity

Self-pity is a losing strategy. It repels others and weakens you. You are entitled to be sad and to grieve, but don’t sabotage yourself or your relationships with negativity.    

Captaining Life

“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to steer my ship.” – Louisa May Alcott  

COMMENTARY: The Struggle Between Wants and Shoulds

As a full-time ethicist – can you believe there is such a thing? – I spend most of my time talking about right and wrong with parents and politicians, kids and corporate managers, journalists and generals. One thing I’ve learned is that ethics – being a good person and doing the right thing – is easier said than done. Ethics, …