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10 principles to live by every day
The Ten Commandments have endured so long because they’re clear and simple instructions. And they’re outdated. You should have your own commandments to build your personal character.
Character /ˈkarəktə/ noun. Via Latin from Greek kharaktēr: ‘a stamping tool,’ a ‘chisel.’
A character is what we use to chisel our personality, like a big block of marm, we chisel out the imperfections until we like what we see.
Whatever you want to fix, it has to start from you. To change what’s wrong with the world around you, you have to fix yourself first. Luckily, you are not born with a distinctive character, you can change it and build it day after day. One way that helps a lot in building character is to know what to stand for, to choose what’s right based on a set of values, a collection of principles.
What drives you? What can you endure, and what can you not accept?
After reading Ray Dalio’s Principles I thought long and hard about what values drive me, and only recently, I decided to actually write my life commandments down. According to Ray Dalio, once you write your principles down, you’re ready to look at them time and again; you’re prepared to discuss them and to stand by them.
These are the 10 principles I live by. You can read them, steal them, print them, or, even better, let them inspire you to write your own. They can be a compass to navigate this sea called life.
10 life principles to build a great character
1) Honor your body. A healthy lifestyle is the primary step for a successful life. Your body belongs to your wife, kids, family and friends. Do it for them. Take care of it. Given the possibility, choose the healthier option.
2) You can decide how to react at any moment and to any situation. Embrace reality and make joy and happiness your emotional home: your life is the sum of your emotions.
3) Be an inspiration and a role model for your children (even if you don’t have them). Set the example you would wish to see in others too.
