When the sacredness of one's word is matched in the attributes of his character throughout, all that constitutes a man, then we find that there is something in a man's life greater than his occupation or his achievements; grander than acquisition or wealth; higher than genius; more enduring than fame.
Interpretation
True greatness lies in the integrity of one's character rather than in worldly achievements.
This quote emphasizes the idea that a person's worth is not determined by their accomplishments, wealth, or status, but rather by the integrity of their character and the consistency of their words and actions. Orison Swett Marden suggests that when a person's promises and principles align with their true character, that alignment signifies a deeper, more enduring quality that surpasses superficial successes in life. It is a call to value character over materialistic pursuits and to recognize that genuine fulfillment comes from living authentically.
In practice
During a graduation speech, to emphasize the importance of integrity over success.
Opportunity is latent in the very foundation of human society. Opportunity is everywhere about us. But the preparation to seize upon the opportunity, and to make the most of it, is to be made by every one for himself ... he will be self-made or never made.
We lift ourselves by our thought, we climb upon our vision of ourselves. If you want to enlarge your life, you must first enlarge your thought of it and of yourself. Hold the ideal of yourself as you long to be, always, everywhere - your ideal of what you long to attain - the ideal of health, efficiency, success.
You know from past experiences that whenever you have been driven to the wall, or thought you were, you have extricated yourself in a way which you never would have dreamed possible had you not been put to the test. The trouble is that in your everyday life you don't go deep enough to tap the divine mind within you.
You cannot measure a man by his failures. You must know what use he makes of them. What did they mean to him. What did he get out of them.
Something greater than wealth, grander even than fame — that manhood, character, stand for success, and that nothing else really does.
Many a man has finally succeeded only because he has failed after repeated efforts. If he had never met defeat he would never have known any great victory.
One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.
You'd think someone who'd been to medical school would be able to hear through a stethoscope that somebody was empty inside.
It always takes longer than you expect, even if you take Hofstadter's Law into account.
All those paper people living in their paper houses, burning the future to stay warm.
I haven't changed much, over the years. I use less adjectives, now, and have a kinder heart, perhaps.
When force of circumstance upsets your equanimity lose no time in recovering your self-control, and do not remain out of tune longer than you can help. Habitual recurrence to the harmony will increase your mastery of it.
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