The Ten Paradoxical Commandments

I'm in San Francisco this week for The American College of Surgeons and was fortunate enough to attend Mass this morning at Old Saint Mary's Cathedral...the first Catholic Cathedral built in California.  The priest closed his Homily with Mother Teresa’s recap of “The Paradoxical Commandments” as written on the wall in her "Home for Children" in Calcutta, India:

1.     People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered...Forgive them anyway.

2.     If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives...Be kind anyway.

3.     If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies...Succeed anyway.

4.     If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you...Be honest and sincere anyway.

5.     What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight...Create anyway.

6.     If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous...Be happy anyway.

7.     The good you do today, will often be forgotten...Do good anyway.

8.     Give the best you have, and it will never be enough...Give your best anyway.

9.     In the final analysis, it is between you and God...It was never between you and them anyway.

Dr. Kent M. Keith created the original version in the late 1960’s with a total of 10 "paradoxical commandments". I understand Mother Teresa leaving one of these off but was an extrememly important and paramount to the advancement of our species as well as our understanding of the Universe and of God…and, especially to entrepreneurs...

10. 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.

The rest of the original version from Dr. Keith is included below:

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
   Love them anyway.
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
   Do good anyway.
3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.
   Succeed anyway.
4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
   Do good anyway.
5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
   Be honest and frank anyway.
6. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
   Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
7. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
   Build anyway.
8. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
   Help people anyway.
9. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
   Give the world the best you have anyway.

 
May we all remember these as we go through our lives each day...