Michael Josephson: If one insists on calling all unsuccessful efforts...

People who fight fire with fire end up with only the ashes of their own integrity.

Michael Josephson

fighting fire integrity

Ethics is not about the way things are, it is about the way things ought to be.

Michael Josephson

ethics justice way

Honesty doesn't always pay, but dishonesty always costs.

Michael Josephson

cost honesty pay

No word makes me happier than the word "daddy" when it's directed to me.

Michael Josephson

daddy dad father

It's a great joy but no test of love or commitment to take your son to a ball game. You really prove your credentials as a good dad when you are willing to take your daughter shopping - more than once.

Michael Josephson

dad daughter father

Creating a child takes no love or skill; being a parent requires lots of both.

Michael Josephson

dad father children

It isn't the absence of conscience or values that prevents us from being all we should be, it is simply the lack of moral courage.

Michael Josephson

moral absence courage

Neither heredity nor environment determine character. But whether we give in to or overcome the negative messages we are exposed to as we wend our way through life is often determined by whether our parents, teachers, mentors and friends exposed us to good examples and morally inspiring ideas.

Michael Josephson

teacher character ideas

When you compete with someone as good or better than you, you may not always win, but you never lose.

Michael Josephson

competition winning may

Values are good things only if they are good values.

Michael Josephson

good-values good-things integrity

You don't have to be sick to get better.

Michael Josephson

get-better sick leadership

Integrity, respect, compassion, and fairness become obstacles to people who think winning is everything

Michael Josephson

winning integrity thinking

One of the greatest things about daughters is how they adored you when they were little; how they rushed into your arms with electric delight and demanded that you watch everything they do and listen to everything they say. Those memories will help you through less joyous times when their adoration is replaced by embarrassment or annoyance and they don't want you to see what they are doing or hear what they are saying. And yet, you will adore your daughter every day of her life, hoping to be valued again, but realizing how fortunate you were even if you only get what you already got.

Michael Josephson

dad daughter memories

Someone who lies for you will also lie to you. The occasional benefit your business may gain from a successful deception or concealment is always outweighed by the encouragement it provides to those willing to risk trust for success.

Michael Josephson

encouragement successful lying

Approach the New Year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day.

Michael Josephson

new-year opportunity years

Happiness is the peace of mind that comes from feeling that I am living a worthy life in the company of people I love and in the service of something bigger than myself.

Michael Josephson

mind feelings people

Some jobs require a more consistent challenge to moral courage than others. Politics is one. In such a setting terrifically good men and women will still be found wanting occasionally. No one does the right thing all the time. It would be more generous and fair to consider their batting average than to judge them only by their last worst act.

Michael Josephson

average jobs men

Gratitude should be felt and experienced sincerely, expressed generously and received graciously.

Michael Josephson

being-thankful gratitude should

One problem with gratitude is that it competes with the sense of pride, self-reliance and accomplishment we have. We want to think what we have is the result of our efforts rather than the gifts, good turns and opportunities provided us by others.

Michael Josephson

gratitude pride opportunity

I think Samuel Johnson had it right when he observed that hope is itself a species of happiness. So if we want to be happy it only makes sense to discipline ourselves to choose our attitudes, to think positively and to be hopeful.

Michael Josephson

attitude life thinking

If one insists on calling all unsuccessful efforts failures the meaning of failure is really quite benign. When trying anything new or taking on any challenge, unsuccessful efforts are an essential aspect of skill building.