I think it’s safe to say that the world as a whole is getting less civilized. People seem to be more angry and less courteous than ever before. Not just that but it seems the “day to day” kindness that helped make society work and flow in the past is no longer there. Instead of having greased cogs that occasionally bump up against each other, now its like a giant pinball machine with hundreds of thousands of pinballs picking up speed and crashing into one another only to fly off and crash into someone else.
And so on and so forth. This makes some people want to just move to the woods and live there. And honestly, that wouldn’t be such a bad idea if it was more feasible. Thought I have heard of people moving out places for cheap and living off the grid. For the average person it just doesn’t seem like something that’s going to work.
And I also am not a big fan of just turning away from something because it’s bad. Not that you won’t ever have to do this, because you will. But rather because so much ugliness continues because it’s not addressed. I’m not saying you can change the world but you can change the world around you. I know becoming a little more considerate or kind is not a sexy topic.
I doubt a whole lot of people are Googling this or going to race to buy my books because of this article. In many ways it could be considered a waste. But I don’t see it that way. If you’ll ever have others to raise or influence whether as sibling, parent, coach, teacher, role-model, or anything else.
Then understanding how character is developed is critical knowledge to have.
Just A Little Bit…
Judgements keep us alive. We judge that the growling dog will bite us, that the hooded man following us into the parking lot probably doesn’t have our best intention at heart, that throwing money on the blackjack table is not a good investment. And so on and so forth. Judgements keep us alive and keep us making good decisions. We need to judge often and be good judgers. However, when it comes to people, it’s always wise to give people a second. Someone is rude to you or seems a little short, don’t launch at them.
Take a breath and give it a second. I’m talking about situations where someone may seem rude or annoying or something of that nature, not situations where you feel in danger, that’s something else entirely. But back to “normal” situations. Just have a little consideration and respect for people. You’ll be surprised how far this goes to making you less miserable and expanding your circle of influence. There are plenty of odious people out there. But hating on them doesn’t better your life.
I’m not saying be blind to what is bad. If something is bad then it’s bad and that’s that. But focus on the good things overall. Give people a bit of a break. Saying ‘please’, ‘thanks’, giving a smile. It’s kind of crazy but anyone it seems small stuff like this is more impressive then much else I can think of. Every clown can rent high end sports car and post some videos about it, but be kind to someone and that’s something that really stands out.
Hard Work Creates…
Not wealth. No, that requires smart work combined with hard work, or luck. But something hard work does create is character. People who work hard for what they have and for bettering the world around them develop character through the ‘suffering’ of hard work. It gives them an honesty that many others don’t have. It can be something as simple to working out at the the gym to something more complex like starting a farm yourself and raising some chickens or cattle. Really anything that you put sweat and time into.
Its ennobling. Meaning it’s something that uplifts and develops your spirit. For example I think we can say that if you spent all day watching porn and smoking weed that it’d be a bad day. Because we know such activities make us lower and drag us down. Well, hard work is the opposite of that. Dirty hands and a clean soul and all that. Find something that you’re willing to bust you ass for. And if you can’t find anything then do it for yourself, because you’re worth it and you can rest assured that no one else is going to do it for you.
Spend Time Outside…
Your comfort zone. Look at things through a different point of view. Many suffer and there are many things in this world that are anything but right. Stretch yourself, you won’t have to go very far. Try to figure out why problems exist. For example addiction is something that’s fascinated me from a young age. And while I’ve never been addicted myself I have family members who have been and have seen the devastation such things can bring. So I try to understand it and when I run into someone in that lifestyle I offer what help I can.
While knowing what to expect at the same time. Most people are not me, most people are not you. They’re not going to accomplish the grand things that you are. Even something as small as reading a book is so far out of the day to day of most people it’s laughable. That doesn’t mean they’re bad people, just that they’ll have certain limits. But if they’re doing better then that’s what counts.
I’ve been far more encouraging in these past few years then I ever was before. If someone tries then that right there is enough for encouragement. If they fail then they fail. So long as they’re moving towards the right direction, even if it’s slow. Have some patience both for yourself and for others. I’m not saying tolerate things that shouldn’t be tolerated but at the same time have a little patience and little mercy, a little grace.
Not Rocket Science…
But not exactly easy either. This isn’t the end all, be all of being a better person. Just a little bit on how not to be the bad kind of asshole. Nothing about this makes you soft, weak, or anything else negative. And it can be just the thing that a community, a family, or an individual needs to keep on the right track. It’s okay to encourage, as a matter of fact you should be encouraging the right things. Encouraging in an effective way means there will be more good and less bad. Simple as that.
If anything I said here interests you I’d highly recommend you check out The Ultimate Alpha Collection which is a compilation of 16 of my books for the price of 5. It covers everything from being a man to making money to getting the right mindset to getting girls to fighting and more and is a resource no man should be without. Pick up your copy today!
-Charles Sledge
