OBSERVATION: You can’t control the winds, but you determine your direction and speed if you control the sails.
You can’t control what people say to you or do to you but you control how you feel about and react to what they say and do. You can’t control the demands and expectations of others, but you control which to live by and which to ignore. You can’t control who has opinions on how you live your life, but …
OBSERVATION: In a democracy, every citizen is a public official.
Former Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who was used to partisan politics and intense debates, pointed out that, “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.” When we instinctively choose to believe what we want to believe or construe all evidence in favor of our predispositions, we effectively disable our ability to participate in rational discourse. If
OBSERVATION: Carpe Diem!
Two thousand years ago, the Roman poet Horace advised his readers to “think of each day as if it were to be your last,” and to seize the day (Carpe Diem!) because you cannot trust what tomorrow will bring. His purpose was not to instill pessimism and fear but to urge us to find joy in each day and to …
OBSERVATION: Enjoy the struggle
F. Scott Fitzgerald said that the most profoundly redeeming qualities of life are found not in moments of pure happiness or pleasure, but in the deeper satisfactions that come out of struggle. The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard put it another way: “Life must be understood backward, but lived forward.” Thus, we need to regularly remind ourselves to learn from the …
OBSERVATION: There are lots of legit white lies that don’t hurt anyone and don’t damage trust, but an awful lot do.
Never, never be casual about lying. It is a risky business. Good intentions are not enough. In the end, trust is more important than truth and trust is fragile. So next time you think about telling a “little white lie” ask yourself: if the truth comes out, will the person lied to say thank you for caring or will they …
Please spread the word – help us build our online community
Help us make a difference! There are three important ways to receive our messages and stay engaged with our mission. We hope you will do all three or at least one: become a fan of the Michael Josephson Facebook page and the CHARACTER COUNTS! Facebook page, and subscribe to and regularly visit the What Will Matter website, and receive our weekly …
Just arrived in Lagos, Nigeria, a few hours ago.
I’m anxious to learn about the people and culture, and to move beyond the stereotype of Internet fraudsters. In researching the country and culture, I came across a fantastic YouTube video of a speech by Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie, one of Nigeria’s most profound and mesmerizing literary voices. In it, she warned of the dangers in hearing a single story about …
GOING TO NIGERIA!
In a few hours I am leaving for Nigeria! I have some high level meetings in Abuja with govt folks re: bringing CC! to Federal Unity schools, a speech at the Nigerian Institute for International Affairs in Lagos (10am Saturday Oct 29 — all are welcome) and a two day workshop for 25 private schools that are adopting CC! If …
A Personal Note
Change is risky. Some will always love the old way while others crave new things and variety. This new format for our newsletter and the blog behind it are the result of the change caused by the loss of one of my major platforms for communication – daily broadcasts on KNX radio in Los Angeles. This format represents our attempt …
Senate Passes Resolution Designating CHARACTER COUNTS! Week 2011
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate passed Senate Resolution 292, A resolution designating the week beginning October 16, 2011, as “National Character Counts Week” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) sponsored the bill, along with co-sponsors Sen.Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), Sen. Michael B. Enzi (R-WY), Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), Sen. Patty Murray …
Your Opinion, Please…
…and you could win a personally inscribed copy of Michael Josephson’s poem “What Will Matter.” Please click here to take a quick survey and help us decide on our next steps after the October 17 termination of Michael Josephson’s KNX-1070 AM radio commentaries in Los Angeles. (For more information, see our blog and the LA Times “Big Picture” blog.) In …
A Grateful Goodbye to KNX Radio
Dr. Seuss said, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” So I’ve mustered my best smile to inform you I was recently given notice by KNX that they will discontinue running my radio commentaries as of October 17. Whatever business or programmatic reasons led to the decision, I want to express sincere and unequivocal gratitude to CBS and …
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