Character Ethics: Values Based On Principles
Sunday, October 10th, 2010“Our principles are the springs of our actions; our actions the springs of our happiness or misery. Too much care, therefore, cannot be taken in forming our principles.” – Skelton
What Is Character Ethics And How Can It Help?
Character Ethics are based on individual principles that a person believes to be true. A principle is nothing more than “A fundamental truth, law, doctrine, or motivating force, upon which others are based“.
To get a better understanding let me illustrate. When a traveler goes on a trip it is useful to have a road map handy to help guide and direct them on their journey. Principles, in like manner, are very much like a road map. Principles determine your Character Ethics. Understanding this concept gives a person the knowledge to guide, direct and ultimately determine every decision made in life. The purpose of this article is to share this concept in order to help show a way to make better decisions. This is done by getting a grasp of the foundation upon which principles originate.
Are You Traveling With The Right Road Map?
It is a tragedy that many people today do not have an understanding of what they believe. It seems hard to fathom but it is true. These people allow others to think for them. And because of this many people in today’s society are traveling with the wrong road map.
We live in a society that “thinks for us” But the amazing thing is we have the power to control our lives. We can make decisions that affect our destiny as well as the welfare of many others. To get where we want to go we need a solid understanding of what we are capable of doing. Let me explain:
Let’s say you want to arrive at a particular point in San Diego. To help you find your way around, you buy a street map. But suppose there was a printing error. The map you had bought was actually a map of Miami. If you used this map to reach your destination you would definitely get lost. Think how frustrating that would be!
One thing YOU could do is work on your behavior. You could try harder, be a little more diligent. You could double your speed to get where you are going. You could even work on your attitude. Think positively! Yet, without the right map the ultimate result is frustration. You’d still be lost.
I’d like to make one point, you must have the right map to get where you are going. Your behaviors play an important role and so does your attitude. These traits, though important, only play a secondary role. What is of primary importance is to have the right map. Our everyday reaction to events is rooted in deep seated principles that we believe. Those principles we hold in ourselves represent our inner “maps”. If you are not reaching your goals in life, the problem may be that your goals do not match your principles. By understanding what you believe and knowing your principles, will make all the difference in the world.
I Was Heading In the Wrong Direction
Here is a lesson I learned several years ago. In my search for personal development, I ran across an idea that impressed me. It was simple a systematic way to reach my goals in life. I began to study how to set goals for my life. I was excited at the possibility of “getting more out of life”. So in my zeal I started my goals program and I set some goals for myself. But there was one goal in particular that taught me a valuable lesson. You see I strove for this certain goal. I even got as far as the very moment in which I would receive the payoff. Yet, I found that I could not continue. It was as if I had hit a brick wall. You see, if I have receive the payoff I knew I would be miserable. Why? It is because the goal I had set was in direct violation of a principle I strongly held.
Principles Are the Foundation to Success
It is vitally important to understand what principles, values and beliefs have priority in our lives. This is the foundation upon which we can build our lives. After all, who would think of building a house without a solid foundation? Of course if would be foolish to do this, however many people today are doing that – Building on a weak foundation.
To understand your principles requires diligent effort and deep soul-searching. But it is one of the best investments you will ever make.
