“Happiness is like a butterfly: The more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.” – Henry David Thoreau
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
COMMENTARY: Appreciating Appreciation
There’s a song called “Thank God for Dirty Dishes” that makes the point that if you’re lucky to have enough food to make dirty dishes, you should be grateful.
Living A Life of Character
“Living a life of character is a form of immortality. The ripple impact of your integrity will influence generations to come as each person inspired to emulate your example passes on your lessons by their words and conduct.” I think one of the most important line in the poem “What Will Matter” is: “What will matter is how long …
Ask Yourself the Tough Questions
“You can BE what you want to be. GET what you want to have. GO where you want to go. If you DO what you need to do.” We use this as a motivational poster in our CHARACTER COUNTS! program to inspire young people to take their education seriously and to realize that their future will be created by their ambitions and their efforts. …
Who Are You?
“The most important reason to know who you are is that it’s the first step in becoming who you CAN be.” – Michael Josephson
What Lies Within You?
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
COMMENTARY: Teaching Our Children to Be Better Than Us
Do parents have moral standing to impose standards on their children that they themselves did not follow when they were kids? Is it ever ethical for parents to lie
There is Always A Way Out..
“When a door closes, try to re-open it. If it does not yield, look for another door. If you can’t find one, look for a window. If there is no window, poke a hole in the wall and make one. There is always a way out. NOTHING THAT CONFINES YOU IS STRONGER THAN YOUR WILL TO BE FREE.” – Michael …
Life is too short to be little.
“Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else’s hands, but not you.” – Jim Rohn. Don’t fritter away precious moments on petty things. Easier said than done. We live our lives daily, hour by …
How Many True Friends Do You Have?
“Good companions are people you spend time with when you want to have a good time; True friends are the ones you want to be with when you’ve had a bad time.” – Michael Josephson
COMMENTARY: What Do You Want to See More of and Less of?
COMMENTARY: What Do You Want to See More of and Less of? Inspirational author and speaker Stephen Covey once said, “Start with the end in mind.” So whenever a company wants to launch an ethics initiative, we at Josephson Institute use a simple exercise: “Look at your organization today – its managers, line employees, and customers – and list behaviors …
Refuse to be Afraid
“Perspective is an antidote to fear. Most things you fear will never happen, and even if they do, you can handle it.” – Michael Josephson
COMMENTARY: Learning and Believing
One of the marks of our species is our limitless capacity to learn. Sometimes we learn how to do something we’ve never done before. Sometimes we learn facts about the world, about other people, and about ourselves.
Blessed are Those Who Can…
“Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.” – Elizabeth Bibesco (English writer (1897-1945)
Version 2.0 – The Best is Yet to Come
“Sometimes life doesn’t turn out the way you expected or hoped. That doesn’t mean you can’t be happy. If you don’t limit yourself to your first version of your life, there’s always a brighter future ahead. If you believe that the best is yet to come, you will be right.” – Michael Josephson
It is Never Too Late…
It is never too late to become a happier person. It is never too late to become a better person.
Confucius Quote
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
COMMENTARY 979.1: Surviving Grief and Tragedy — The Spark Within
Here’s the bad news: Virtue isn’t a golden ticket to a pain-free life. Bad things happen to good people as often as they happen to bad people. It seems unfair, but in the natural order of the world, suffering is random. To expect otherwise is to sentence oneself to despondency, disillusionment, bitterness, and anger. Here’s the good news: The magic power that …
Holding On to Anger
“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent to throw it at someone else. The only one who gets burned is you.” – Buddha
Lying to Avoid Problems…
“Lying to avoid problems is like getting drunk to forget them. It’s a temporary solution with the worst sort of hangover. Your problems are still there, but they are even bigger because now you can’t be trusted.” – Michael Josephson
COMMENTARY 978.5: Understanding Change: The Elephant and the Rider
It took me a long time to realize the limitations of logic. For much of my life, including a 20-year stint as a law professor, I relied on discourse and reasoning to understand and resolve problems. I believed that I should suppress feelings that could result in irrational behavior, and I had little patience for those who seemed to govern …
COMMENTARY 978.4: The Parable of the Carpenter
A master carpenter who had worked for the same builder for nearly 50 years announced he was retiring. The builder told him how much he appreciated his work and presented him with a $5,000 bonus. Then he asked if he would build just one more house. He owned a magnificent lot with a spectacular view and wanted to build a …
Live A Life…
“Live a life that your children can be proud of, and they will live a life you can be proud of.” – Michael Josephson
What is Friendship to You?
Friendship is not a big thing… It’s a million little things.
What Will Matter…
“What will matter in the end is not what you bought but what you built; not what you got but what you gave; not what you learned by what you taught. What will matter is not your competence but your character.” – Michael Josephson
COMMENTARY 978.3: Curing Victimitis
Watch your thoughts; they lead to attitudes. Watch your attitudes; they lead to words. Watch your words; they lead to actions. Watch your actions; they lead to habits. Watch your habits; they form your character. Watch your character; it determines your destiny. These words of unknown origin tell us that our silent and often subconscious choices shape our future. Every …
Five Things to Learn from Your Children:
“1. Everything looks better after a nap. 2. People who love you keep you safe. 3. When you’re not sure what’s happening, just giggle. 4. All you need to have fun is a good friend. 5. Learn at least one new thing every day.” – Michael Josephson
Live A Life That Matters
“In the end, what will matter is not our memories, but the memories of those we loved and those we helped. What will matter is how long we will be remembered, by whom, and for what. Live a life that matters.” – Michael Josephson
COMMENTARY 978.2: Desiderata
In 1927, Max Ehrmann gave us timeless advice in a poem called Desiderata (Latin for “things desired”): Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and …