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The Importance of Your Present Character
Your present character shapes the pattern of your entire future.
"Suppose we liken the career of an individual to a house - a lifetime home built of his own deeds, words, mistakes, and accomplishments, growing continuously through the years until the day comes when the final piece is fixed firmly in place, and the occupant lies down at last to rest. If the house is to be strong, rather than weak, beautiful instead of mean, useful instead of worthless, its foundations must be sturdy and solid.
The core of the foundation you are building is 'character'. The word defies exact definition, but if your house of life is to be one to bring you enduring satisfaction it must rest upon sound and proved qualities. Those qualities are the stones of your foundation."
Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke these words in his commencement address on June 12, 1966 to the graduating class ofExeterAcademy.
What are those qualities Eisenhower spoke of?
- Integrity: To utter this word is to convince everyone of the necessity for its inclusion in every life's foundation. Your own inner concern for integrity will insure its permanence and its bright visibility in your life.
- Ambition: Ask yourself, does it [ambition] concern only myself, or, is it directed equally to family, community, and the society of which I am a part? Do you want to be merely a publicized star of the game - or do you want most to do your part in helping the team to play its best? In this sense, ambition is truly valuable, whereas if it comprehends only one's selfish goals in fame or money, your house may, from some angles appear beautiful - but from others, and certainly to the builder, it will eventually become cramped, ugly and unworthy.
- Capacity for hard work: Anyone who hopes to attain his life's purpose by chiseling, by slippery dealing or by personal charm will find at the end only defeat and self pity. Work suggests duty. It is not exaggeration to say that whoever loves his work, and tries to do his duty, is a happy and constructive man.
- Loyalty: Without it one can have no deep friendships, and if the house of life is too devoid of friends it will be a sorry structure indeed. We give it to superiors and to subordinates, to high ideals, to family and community.
- Common sense: It is the ability to place facts in perspective and, even in crisis, make a calm appraisal of their over-all meaning.
- Conscience: This is the judge of your inner self. It tells you to do right, even when unobserved, and it is conscience that gives you a feeling of guilt and cheapness when you do otherwise.
- Sense of decency: Respect the basic rules that the civilizing process has developed for relations among humans, including family, the basic unit of civilized life.
- Self-respect: It is loyalty to self. With it never can everything be lost; without it never can a full life be achieved.
- Moral courage: This is the readiness to stand up for what you believe to be right, after determining what is right through study, reflection and common sense. It includes self-reliance and self-confidence but it never becomes arrogance, egotism or self-righteousness. It is a hall-mark of a true leader.
"I assure you that through life's unending storms - born of human frailty, rapid technical change, unforeseen events, great discoveries and even disaster - may at times force you to change or repair some part of your house's super-structure, as long as it is based soundly on character, fortified by education, you will never be compelled to face discouragement or doubt as to the worth and firmness of the whole," Eisenhower said in conclusion.
Eisenhower spoke of these character traits to new college graduates; however his words are applicable to each of us, no matter where we are in life. Your present character is shaping your future. What does your character say about you?
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