MENTAL DIET

THE FOUNDATION OF SUCCESS (PART 4)

“If you want to do something that will make an impact beyond your own life, then treat people better than they treat you, walk the extra mile, help people who cannot help you, do right when it’s natural to do wrong, and keep your promises even when it hurts.”

-JOHN MAXWELL

Sound moral character is the preventive medicine for destiny maladies. Talents can make one appear to be a raving success on the surface but when actually the individual is a rattling failure on the inside due to the failings of character. And what is within eventually surfaces and topples talent. Strength of character is needed to build strong destinies and secure talents and leadership.

Until character counts your success will not count. It is character that protects talents and makes it relevant. When character is lost talent loses its potency and relevance is lost.

CHARACTER EVOLVEMENT

• CORE VALUES

“It is always easy to do right when you know ahead of time what you stand for”.

-DON MEYER

Values reveal what we believe.  Values are the reflection of how we live. Our values are the way of life that we uphold. Values represent what we stand for and consequently, what we live for and to the heroic souls, what we can die for. When core values are known decision making becomes easy and fast. When core values are known and upheld in every situation you don’t really need to think twice in most cases before making decisions, you just need to act on your values in relation to any given situation.

When core values are upheld your inner life becomes rock solid to resist temptation and withstand the vagaries of life.

VALUE CHARACTER OVER REPUTATION

Character is what you are in the dark; reputation is what people see you to be in the light. Therefore, let your reputation in the light harmonize with your character in the dark. Character is what we do in the privacy of our daily lives. Reputation is what we do in the sight of others. Reputation gives a short-term impression in people’s evaluation of you. Character leaves a life-term impression on the minds of others. A person of character does not need to role-play before others in order to appear to them what he or she is not.

A person of character does not seek to impress people but seeks to express his or her authenticity and value. A person of character is predictable and stable because being two or multiple-faced is not an option. A person of character does not hide under a mask but comes out in the light to be seen by everyone for what he or she is. When your private life and your public life are integrated or harmonize, you become a beckon of an inspiring example of character strength.

VALUE PEOPLE OVER THINGS:

Every human being great and small deserves to be valued because of their intrinsic worth. Character evolves when you value people and treat them accordingly because people matter. Value your family above money-making; spend quality time with your family because relationships matter. Value your health above money making and fast living because your life matter. When you perceive people as important, you will make them feel valuable. When you perceive people as unimportant, you will make them feel worthless.

Value begins with perception which determines behavior. A change in behavior originates from a change in perception. When you change your perception about people, your behavior towards them also changes. Therefore, people must be treated with respect, dignity and honor irrespective of their status in life.People must be valued above possessions; positions and every material gain you can think of because people matter.   

VALUE CHARACTER OVER TALENTS:

Talents ride on the wings of character. The stronger the wings of character, the higher it flies; the higher will be the impact and effectiveness of the talent. When character loses its wings talents consequently crashes. Character preserves and sustains talents and gifts. Consequently, you can only go as farther in your talent maximization to the extent that your character can carry.

There are no limits to the erection of towering heights of character. Competence or talents can never compensate for lack of sound character rather when competence is built on a rock solid character, it produces maximum impact.

VALUE CHARACTER OVER PRESSURE AND PLEASURE:

In the face of pressure and pleasure do we maintain our moral guard and stand? Or do we give into the subtleties of temptation? Are we prone to choosing the easy way out? Or are we determined to tread the right path even if the path is rugged? Do we fall prey to inordinate passion and sensual pleasure? Or do we rise above it on the wings of moral purity?

It is disheartening to observe royalties dining with pigs and kings living as peasants in the domain of life by giving in to the seduction of pleasure and the lure of pressure. Character is a choice we make rather than a gift we receive. Building up reserves of character should be our topmost priority in life and should never be sacrificed on the altar of sensual pleasures and pressures of conformity.

VALUE HUMILITY OVER ARROGANCE AND PRIDE:

Self-conceit is the weirdest of all the mental disease. Self-conceit manifests itself in pride and arrogance. Pride is a reflection of an ignorant mental state that plunges one deeper in self-deception that leads to a humiliating fall-emotional fall; relationship falls; financial fall; career fall; marriage fall and leadership fall.

Humility is the correct or modest estimation of one’s self and ability. Humility is upholding self-value and people-alue. A life of humility is centered on truth and love. A humble person is not weak but gentle; is not timid but has power under control; is not aggressive but bold; is not overbearing but understanding; is not critical but an example; is not judgmental but a light. Humility is not putting yourself down rather it is putting yourself aside to meet the needs of others. Humility is not thinking less of yourself rather it is thinking of yourself less in order to be able to think of how you can help others succeed.

VALUE COURAGE OVER FEAR:

Courage is not the absence of fear but the conquest of fear. Courage is feeling the fear of opposition or rejection; fear of being misunderstood but yet doing what you know or convicted to be the right thing. Courage is facing the truth and standing for the truth even when it means standing alone while everybody else does the contrary.

Courage is moral stamina at its best. Courage is facing the pressure of moral compromise but refusing to bow down and fickle away under the pressure. An individual with courage understands that compromise cannot be substituted for conviction. Courage is the strength of will to live above board. Courage is the power to choose momentary loss for doing what is right in order to secure a permanent win of living with a clear conscience.

Courage is absolute faith in the truth or eternal principles that empowers one to live according to the truth or eternal principles. Courage is the backbone of character that prevents moral breakdown while elevating the conduct to the highest standard, setting the individual apart as an inspiration to others.