“The Paradoxical Commandments” by Dr. Kent M. Keith, penned in 1968, is as follows:
- 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 favour 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.
These commandments were designed to encourage individuals to do what they believe to be right, regardless of opposition or criticism, and they capture a spirit of perseverance and intrinsic motivation. Dr. Keith’s insights have inspired many by promoting a message of resilience and altruism amidst a world of paradoxes.
“People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centred. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
This passage is often found in collections of inspirational writings. Despite its widespread association with Mother Teresa, it actually appears in a slightly different form on the wall of Shishu Bhavan, Mother Teresa’s children’s home in Kolkata, India.
The original version of this text, known as “The Paradoxical Commandments,” was written by Dr. Kent M. Keith in 1968 as part of a booklet for student leaders.
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