If you want something, you must be willing to work hard. It’s not enough to just want it – you have to be willing to go the extra mile, even when it’s tough. The most successful people are often willing to do what others aren’t.
Many of us have become too reliant on convenient options like online shopping, fast food delivery, and door-to-door car services. These are all great ways to save time and make life easier. However, it can come with a hefty price tag. Convenience often costs more money in the long run than doing things yourself; take, for example, the extra fee for having groceries delivered that can quickly add up if you do it regularly. Fast food delivery might seem harmless, but those costs, combined with added charges for service and tipping, can be much more expensive than eating at home or dining in restaurants.
Inconvenience isn’t all harmful. Being forced out of our comfort zones can spark creativity as we seek alternative solutions to meet our needs despite difficult circumstances. Learning to operate in an inconvenient world has its benefits. When we find ourselves in situations that are challenging and not easily navigated, it teaches us how to adapt and think on our feet. Not only does this make us stronger, but the ability to think quickly and problem-solve effectively can lead to success in many areas of life.
An ignorant person is inclined to blame others for his own misfortune. To blame oneself is proof of progress. But the wise man never has to blame another or himself.
Epictetus
Holding someone else accountable for our misfortunes reflects a lack of personal responsibility and can also prevent us from gaining insight into how something went wrong. Instead of blaming someone else, we should take a moment to dig deeper and think about how this misfortune could have been avoided in the first place. Engaging in honest self-reflection and asking tough questions, we invite wisdom into our lives and allow ourselves to learn from valuable lessons presented by challenging events. Only by taking ownership can we develop our problem-solving skills, foster resilience in the face of adversity, and open ourselves up to endless opportunities for growth.
You didn’t run out of gas because everything is going wrong today. You ran out of gas because you were lazy yesterday.
An ignorant person is far more than just someone who lacks knowledge and education; they refuse to accept the truth and learn from their mistakes. Ignorance prevents people from reaching their true potential and keeps them blinded from the possibilities of progress and advancement. Recognizing and accepting truths grants us understanding that enables us to take new paths in life, tackle obstacles head-on, challenge ourselves, and ultimately achieve success. Those who become students of life never cease to develop themselves by opening their minds and heart to understanding.
As stated by Epictetus’s quote, ignorant individuals close their minds to information and reality and choose only to look at what makes them comfortable. They rely heavily on pre-existing beliefs instead of accepting challenges to grow their intellect.
They are the echo chamber. They are constantly seeking the validation of others for their opinions.
This refusal to change or adapt genuinely speaks for their ignorance, particularly concerning topics outside their comfort zone. An ignorant person fails to realize the importance and power of education and its ability to encourage a more open mind. Ignorance should not be worn as a badge of honor – instead, it should serve as a reminder for us all to stay informed and keep learning.
Ignorant people often blame those around them for their misfortunes due to a lack of introspection and personal responsibility. This tendency denies them the opportunity to identify flaws in their decision-making or attitudes and misplaces blame onto innocent parties, leading to unnecessary strife and distrust. It is a trait that should be discouraged at all levels of society as it costs us far more than we may realize – good relationships, wasted energy, and valuable resources.
It is a sure sign of wisdom when someone can remain calm and composed in the face of misfortune. Wise people understand that such things are sometimes beyond our control, so they do not allow it to affect their demeanor. Instead, they use misfortune as a learning opportunity and strive to see what they can learn from it so that they can come out of it better than before. This kind of mature outlook towards disasters reveals an individual’s true mental strength and sagacity, showing them in all their wisdom.
To never have to blame another or oneself is a sign of real wisdom. It means having inner faith and resilience in response to life’s difficulties and knowing that blaming someone else or ourselves resolves nothing. Blaming takes away personal accountability and robs us of our ability to find solutions.
True wisdom encourages us to focus on what we can change – our choices and behavior – rather than getting stuck in frustration over others’ actions. It implies trust in the universe and its natural order, knowing that whatever has happened, we can make something positive from it if we use our energy to make the best choice available. This single-mindedness towards growth and self-improvement through responsibility is the hallmark of true wisdom.
Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.
Seneca
Being nice and being kind are two virtues that are highly advantageous to cultivate. They both involve developing the capacity to think of others and be respectful and sensitive towards them. Although their definitions might seem similar, there is a critical difference between them.
Being nice is focused on politeness and courtesy, whereas being kind is exchanging care, concern, and generosity with those around us. In this modern world, we all need more of these traits while striving to navigate our lives and relationships in an increasingly complex world.
Kindness is placed under the umbrella of justice, one of the four cardinal virtues that Stoics believe need to be cultivated to live a virtuous life. Stoic philosophy highlights the importance of being kind as a fundamental virtue. It is essential to being a good person since it involves treating others fairly and empathetically. Being nice, however, is seen as less important; while it can help us build relationships and remain on good terms with others, it often focuses too much on pleasing others and avoiding conflict. Practicing kindness over niceness should thus be our aim if we wish to make moral progress, according to Stoicism.
Nice vs. Kind.
Niceness is an act. Niceness, however, can be rooted in kindness. Kindness is a character trait.
We have been given the power of choice, and with that comes the responsibility of being kind. To be kind is to always act in a way that will benefit someone or something else. It’s not just about looking good or garnering approval from those around us; it’s an understanding that living our principles includes caring for and helping others. Being kind is a conscious decision we make, and based on how we act every day, we can positively impact the world around us without expecting anything in return.
Stoic philosophy presents useful distinctions in understanding different aspects of being kind and nice. To be both kind and nice means first having deeply embedded inner values in ourselves, which will lead us to express goodness in our behavior before we strive for any external kindness or niceness towards others. Moral integrity consists of taking ethical actions that reflect our inner virtues, such as being honest and fair. On the other hand, people can have moral worth; this conveys the strength of a person’s character, not just the outward performance of specific behaviors. It goes beyond action to encompass qualities like trustworthiness, sympathy, and empathy. Ultimately, moral worth is powerful because it nurtures the fundamental character from which further small behaviors are inspired.
Being nice is an expression of morality beyond simply doing what is right or wrong. At its core, it speaks to the kindness and compassion that a person can exhibit toward others. Yet too often, people misconstrue niceness as being morally good or virtuous. While acting out of good intentions is commendable, it is essential to remember that being nice can also stem from less noble motivations such as vanity, inadequacy, or a lack of confidence.
Being nice does not imply moral worth, yet it reflects upon the moral goodness of a person’s choices and values. As such, it serves as an important reminder of our capacity for empathy and understanding of one another.
We have so many choices to make throughout the day. We can always choose to be nice to others. Repeated acts of niceness may turn us into kind people. We are driven by good intentions and actionable behaviors that serve the greater good.
Citizenship is a behavior trait. Citizenship is more than what country you live in. It is the act of being an active member of any group or community. It entails taking responsibility for the well-being and success of that group and actively contributing to it in some way. Citizenship requires commitment and a willingness to donate time, effort, and resources to make a difference.
Knowing this view of citizenship, how are you applying it to your workgroup?
Do you help others? Are you engaged with your coworkers? Do you know what everyone’s goals are? Better yet, do you help others accomplish their goals once you learn of them?
Being a citizen is hard. It requires work. Being a citizen requires dedication.
Living up to the expectations of being a citizen can be challenging. However, it is well worth the effort. Being a citizen requires conviction – believing that you are part of something bigger while still needing to take responsibility for your words and actions. It requires dedication and outward thinking, beyond yourself, to better serve your community or country. By understanding our role in the grand scheme of things, we can all make meaningful contributions as citizens – working together builds strength and resilience, leading to greater unity in society.
But that is just it; we live in an attention society. Few believe they are a part of society and view themselves as the society.
Social media has become an integral part of our lives, with studies showing that the average person spends more than two hours a day checking in on their accounts. But despite the surge in online activity, our genuine connection with each other has failed to keep up. In choosing to overshare moments from our daily lives to make them look better, we’ve just perpetuated a self-centered narrative and forgotten to take action that matters – whether volunteering at a soup kitchen or supporting an inspiring cause. If we want to build a society focused on natural well-being and productivity, we must stop pretending these values exist and start practicing them earnestly.
Being a citizen means sacrificing the self-image for the help image.
Build the society at the expense of the self. Believe in more than gaining likes.
Success is often measured by accumulation—whether material wealth, awards or social media likes. But gaining these accolades can leave us empty if it’s our only focus. It should never be about what you can extract from society but how you can use your gifts and skills to give back and add to the collective in a meaningful and selfless way. Building up our lives only to benefit ourselves has no real reward and goes against the principles of true success: inspiring those around us and propelling the human race forward together. We owe it to ourselves and those around us to reach past superficial affirmations, like likes on a photo, and strive for something more profound; working on projects that bring joy, promoting respect for others, and setting examples of personal growth—these are true desires for building a flourishing society.
Time is our most valuable resource; it cannot be replenished once it passes, making it one of our greatest teachers.
To make the most of it, we must focus on what is important, prioritizing our tasks and ensuring that they do not become sources of procrastination.
We fail by not recognizing what is important.
I have watched families out to dinner with their faces buried in their phones. I have watched relationships suffer because the ego couldn’t let go of the past.
What is really important?
Benjamin Franklin said it best when he proclaimed, “Lost time is never found again”; his wise words are an essential reminder to stay mindful of how we handle our goals and actions each day to prevent regret later on. Let us take preventive steps today to ensure we use our time wisely to be an asset in achieving tremendous success in life.
