Let your light show the path. Let your work make it a road. Let your will change the world.
A Lie is A Lie…
Whether or not you cross your fingers. Be LOYAL. Be FAITHFUL. Be worthy of TRUST.
COMMENTARY 984.1: Changing Self-Limiting Beliefs and Bad Behavior
Shavonne, a third-grade teacher, was at the end of her rope with disciplinary problems, but she wasn’t enthusiastic when she was told that her school had adopted the CHARACTER COUNTS! program. Now she was expected to explicitly seek to instill and enhance in her students core ethical values like honesty, respect, and responsibility, and to help them develop positive social …
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.
Be Authentic
Be Authentic. Know yourself. Accept yourself. Be yourself. Reject all that is fake – friends, emotions, ambitions. Reject all forms of dishonesty – lies, pretenses, deceptions. Insist on and give nothing less than truth and sincerity. – Michael Josephson
COMMENTARY 983.5: Living and Reading
One of the most insightful and useful books I’ve ever read is a small volume by Harold Kushner called Living a Life That Matters. Today, I want to suggest ways of getting the most out of books, at least nonfiction books, which is about all I read. Reading shouldn’t be a passive experience. If you allow yourself to be absorbed …
It’s Always Good to Look at Things from A New Angle
You see different things when you look at things differently.
The Power of Courage. The Power of Character.
“There is, within you, waiting to be called, a great source of power. It’s called courage. Call on it and it will give you strength to overcome fear and uncertainty and the heart to continue with bold confidence, despite the pain of past tragedy or risk of future failure.” – Michael Josephson
COMMENTARY 983.4: Working Together
I want to be thin — especially when I’m not hungry. And it seems the President and members of Congress want to work together — especially if they don’t have strong feelings about the issue. I liked President Obama’s call for more civility and greater cooperation, but I’m not convinced it will happen. There’s always a lot of room between …
Do More
Do more than care: HELP. Do more than believe: PRACTICE. Do more than belong: PARTICIPATE. Do more than be fair: BE KIND. Do more than forgive: FORGET. Do more than dream: WORK. – William Arthur Ward (adapted)
Do You Matter or Mind?
“Be who you are and say what you mean, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” – Derived from a quote by Bernard Baruch (often falsely attributed to Dr. Seuss)
COMMENTARY: Eight Laws of Leadership
Take a look around. Business, education, politics. If there’s one thing we don’t have enough of, it’s good leaders —men and women who have the vision and the ability to change things for the better.
Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude
Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude People with positive attitudes make better employees, better friends, and better mates.
COMMENTARY: If You Love Competition, You Never Lose
Suppose you’re an Olympic athlete and you hear that the only person who has a chance to beat you is ill and may have to withdraw. Are you overjoyed at your good luck or disappointed that you will not be able to compete against the very best? If you really love and understand sports, you ought to be disappointed. John …
What Costs Nothing and Means Everything?
“A loving touch, a caring hug and a kind word costs nothing but can mean everything. Be generous with kindness and encouragement.” – Michael Josephson
The Invisible Leader
“A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” – Lao Tzu
Doing and Liking
“Doing what you must is duty. Doing what you should is virtue. Doing what you can is service. Doing what you are afraid of is courage. Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.” – Author Unknown
Watch
Watch your thoughts, for they become WORDS. Watch your words, for they become ACTIONS. Watch your actions, for they become HABITS. Watch your habits, for they become CHARACTER. Watch your character, for it becomes DESTINY.
COMMENTARY 983.1: Seven Truths for Bosses
Here are seven truths I’ve discovered in my struggles to be an effective boss: It’s not what you say that matters; it’s what people hear. Just because you said it doesn’t mean they heard it. Just because you wrote it doesn’t mean they read it. Be sure your message is received and understood. There are lots of things you don’t know …
Can You Change Your Mind?
“If you can change your mind, you can change your life.” – William James, American philosopher and psychologist (1842-1910)
COMMENTARY: 982.5: How to Succeed by Failing Forward – Turning Stumbling Blocks to Stepping Stones
The best way to teach our children to succeed is to teach them to fail. After all, if getting everything you want on the first try is success, and everything else is failure, we all fail much more often than we succeed. People who learn how to grow from unsuccessful efforts succeed more often and at higher levels because they …
Doing What You…
Doing what you like is FUN. Doing what you love is HAPPINESS. Doing what you want is FREEDOM. Doing what you can is SERVICE. Doing what you must is DUTY. Doing what you should is CHARACTER.
COMMENTARY 982.4: Five Birds and Good Intentions
Five birds are sitting on a telephone wire. Two decide to fly south. How many are left? Most people would say three. Actually, all five are left. You see, deciding to fly isn’t the same as doing it. If a bird really wants to go somewhere, it’s got to point itself in the right direction, jump off the wire, flap …
Do Something You Haven’t Done…Get Something New
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” – Neale Walsch If you want to get something you don’t have, you’ve got to do something you’ve not done.
Problems
“The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem.” – Theodore Rubin