The Paradoxical Commandments
Sorry to go all “philosophical” on you but, I think this is important. In a recent www.strengthcoach.com post related to youth sports and early specialization ( this time the specific topic was youth winter indoor football) one of my readers and frequent contributors Michelle Hart-Miller, a wonderful person and excellent coach, sounded almost despondent in her response .
“In this society I’m beginning to question making any effort at all.”
My response was to post The Paradoxical Commandments, a series of wonderful inspirational thoughts that have found there way around the world. On some of my worst days dealing with any problem I try to remember the concept of “Anyway”. The Paradoxical Commandments were written in 1968 by Kent Keith and are contained in a book called AnyWay
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.
I truly believe this is what keeps me coaching. One small victory can offset numerous losses.
Michael Boyle's Strengthcoach.com Blog 
May 19, 2012 at 9:05 pm
You should re-post this sometime. I just love it so much.
~Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ~ Phillipians 2:4
November 25, 2008 at 8:45 pm
i especially like the one about loving people no matter how nuts we all are 😉
Cool post.
November 25, 2008 at 6:04 am
That is why I like you Mike. You are simply the best strength coach (What a team you and Dr. Yuri Verkhoshansky is !) but also have this Plato´s (philosophical) side that motivates me to think and think (not only in my work but also in life). And this makes a huge and strong difference…
November 22, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Glad you liked it. It really has helped me too.
November 22, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Thanks so much for posting the concept of “Anyway”. It’s so important to find that inner strength…. This concept will absolute help me do that.