DO MORE

Do more than belong: participate. / Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. / Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. / Do more than dream: work. — William Arthur Ward

There are over 300,000 more black men in college than in prison, but you wouldn’t know this watching cable or network news? How come?

In the decade from 1999-2000 to 2009-2010, the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to Black students increased by 53 percent, and the number awarded to Hispanic students increased by 87 percent. In 2009–10, Black students earned 10 percent and Hispanics earned 9 percent of all bachelor’s degrees conferred, versus the 9 and 6 percent, respectively, earned in 1999–2000” (NCES, 2012).

Michael Josephson Named One of 100 Top Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business

Trust Across America-Trust Around the World (TAA-TWA), global leaders in organizational trust, has recognized Josephson Institute founder Michael Josephson as one of 2014’s Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business. This year’s recipients hail from around the globe and include leaders from the public and private sectors as well as authors, consultants, researchers and academics. Each honoree, according to TAA-TWA, …

A Cost-Free Way to Help

Regular readers know that the Josephson Institute (my life’s work since 1987) is really struggling this year. A few of you have made donations and I am grateful. I hope more of you will, but there is another way you can help without depleting your wallet. The Institute’s creative director, Tony Baer, came up with a great way everyone can …

Reflections at 71: Life Expectancy, Life’s Expectancies and The Seven Biggest Truths I’ve Learned

(updated December 12, 2013) Where did the time go? I hate clichés like this, but among the things I’ve learned in my 71 years of lurching around life is that these pithy statements became clichés precisely because they are true. Often profoundly so. Looking through the rear view mirror of my life the past feels like a movie played a …

Profile of Our Facebook Fans

U.S. 4,595; India 229; Philippines 224; Canada 127; South Africa 96; United Kingdom 82; Nigeria 70; Brazil 69; Australia 63; Pakistan 62; Puerto Rico 60; Egypt 55; Malaysia 50; Mexico 39; Saudi Arabia 37; Morocco 33; Tunisia 31; Indonesia 29; Singapore 28; Kenya 27; United Arab Emirates 24; Thailand 22; Vietnam 22; Italy 19; Japan 18; Ghana 18; Germany 14; …

NEW SURVEY: The State of Education in America

The Josephson Institute has just launched a new comprehensive survey for educators (school board members, superintendents, principals and other administrators, teachers and school staff) and parents of children in school. It is designed to be one of the most comprehensive and influential studies of the trends, opinions and actions of administrators, teachers, students and parents. We hope to have at …

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.

QUOTES: Lincoln

1. Nearly all men can stand adversity. But if you want to test a man’s character – give him power. –Abraham Lincoln 2. I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that …

Michael Josephson Named One of the Top Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behavior

Trust Across America has named Michael Josephson one of the 100 Top Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behavior for 2013. Also on the list is Josephson Institute Board of Governors member Roger Bolton, who is president of the Arthur W. Page Society. Trust Across America researches and seeks to enhance the trustworthiness of organizations in the United States. It publishes this list of …

New Year’s Wishes From Michael

I hope you had a great Christmas or Hanukkah and, if you had time to spend with your extended family, that you had a wonderful time or, if such occasions are not uniformly a source of joy, that you, nevertheless, found reasons to be happy and grateful. This year has been unusually challenging for me, so I suppose I am …

Memo From Michael: Gratitude, Compassion and Civic Duty in the Wake of Sandy

The unprecedented devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy challenges us to be both more grateful for all we have and compassionate, genuinely compassionate, toward those who have suffered life-altering losses. At the same time, a very important election is coming up and it deserves your attention and participation. It’s frustrating that many of us live in solid blue or red states, …

COMMENTARY 786.4: Bringing Olympic Ideals Into Our Lives

I’ve talked before about the Olympic ideals upon which the modern movement was founded. Over the years, new words and symbols were made part of Olympism to reinforce those ideals. One of them is the Olympic Motto: citius, altius, fortius (faster, higher, stronger). Note that it’s not “fastest, highest, strongest” because the Olympic ideal encourages athletes to view success in …

Your Comfort Zone

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. ~Michael Josephson.

COMMENTARY: The Perfect Father’s Day Gift

When I was young, I idolized my father, judging him for his virtues. For most of the rest of my life, I criticized him, judging him for his faults. I always loved him, but I didn’t always appreciate him. I was so aware of his imperfections (surely, no worse than my own) that I greatly undervalued his good qualities and …

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT FOR TEENS: Teenagers Lead the Way

Hi this is Michael Josephson with Something to Think About. Olivia Gardner was a sixth grader in Northern California when she suffered an epileptic seizure in front of her classmates. Immediately, the name-calling began. The hallway insults and ridicule – “freak,” “retard,” “weirdo” – escalated into cyber-bullying as a few nasty students set up an “Olivia Haters” website. One student …

Strength, Courage & Confidence

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do. – Eleanor Roosevelt More images and quotes about …