Hollywood portrays the successful business person as doing "whatever it takes" to succeed, with little regard for morals, honesty or integrity. Whatever shortcut, conniving scheme, manipulative trick that will get that person to the top, make them millions or achieve their goals is considered acceptable.
But is it really? Whatever happened to character? Integrity? Honesty?
Anyone ever heard of the saying, "what goes around, comes around? I think some people call it karma. Others call it the law of attraction. Whatever you call it, it "bites back," even if you don't believe it will. Now, I don't mean this in a graceless, legalistic or harsh manner. It's just a law of nature that I've seen play out many times in my own life.
Here's a really uplifting story I read the other day. You know how the movies most often portray cops as dishonest, amoral,"on the take," or more interested in racking up tickets to meet his/her monthly revenue quota than serving others?
Well, this article, "Cop who ticketed himself reaps praise" may seem a little silly or even ridiculous at first glance, but it speaks volumes when it comes to character. Here's what happened, according to the article:
"Chief Dick Knoebel drove past a stopped school bus with its lights flashing in September, then wrote himself a ticket for $235 and docked himself four points on his driving record."
Most police officers would have blown it off or outright ignored the flagrant violation. But this guy, Chief Dick Knoebel "did the right thing," even when no one was looking.
Now, in my book, that's the definition of character: what you do and how you act when no one's looking. That's the true you. If only more of us would follow his example more often, what a different world we might live in...
Oh, and here's the link for the article so you can read it yourself.
Showing posts with label character. Show all posts
Showing posts with label character. Show all posts
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Benjamin Franklin's 274-Year-Old Plan for Character Change
You may know him as a founding father of the United States, but he was also possibly one of the pioneers of the self-help movement, years before his time.
In 1726, upon return to Philadelphia from London, England, Franklin developed a "plan" for regulating his future conduct.
His plan consisted of 13 virtues, one of which he focused on for the week and evaluated himself as to his performance on a daily basis.
Since he spent one week on each of the virtues, he was able to concentrate on each virtue four times per year, and utilized a small chart (see link below) to track his progress.
The 13 virtues and a short description of each:
1) Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation.
2) Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.
3) Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.
4) Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.
5) Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e. Waste nothing.
6) Industry: Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.
7) Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8) Justice: Wrong none, by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9) Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10) Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.
11) Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; Never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
12) Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
13) Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
How to Follow Franklin's Guide
Use the guide below to track how well you do in adhering to Franklin's virtues or striving to improve your character. Alternately, create your own set of virtues or character traits you want to improve.
Each column of the chart below stands for a day of the week. At the end of the day, evaluate your progress by putting a dot, an "x" or the number of times you failed to adhere to each virture.
Franklin's Book of 13 Charts
In 1726, upon return to Philadelphia from London, England, Franklin developed a "plan" for regulating his future conduct.
His plan consisted of 13 virtues, one of which he focused on for the week and evaluated himself as to his performance on a daily basis.
Since he spent one week on each of the virtues, he was able to concentrate on each virtue four times per year, and utilized a small chart (see link below) to track his progress.
The 13 virtues and a short description of each:
1) Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation.
2) Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.
3) Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.
4) Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.
5) Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e. Waste nothing.
6) Industry: Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.
7) Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8) Justice: Wrong none, by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9) Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10) Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.
11) Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; Never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
12) Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
13) Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
How to Follow Franklin's Guide
Use the guide below to track how well you do in adhering to Franklin's virtues or striving to improve your character. Alternately, create your own set of virtues or character traits you want to improve.
Each column of the chart below stands for a day of the week. At the end of the day, evaluate your progress by putting a dot, an "x" or the number of times you failed to adhere to each virture.
Franklin's Book of 13 Charts
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
