Philosophy isn’t enough. Arguments about hypothetical moral dilemmas aren’t enough. Biographies of people living exemplary, moral lives aren’t enough either.
I need, and I think we all need specifics. Like athletes, I think we need training regimens as if our character were made up of muscle groups to be worked on with specific exercises.
The funny thing is, I love reading moral philosophy, arguments, and case studies. In fact, I need those ideas to push my own. But after all this time thinking and writing letters to my son about goodness, they aren’t enough.
I’m bad at most things, okay at some things, and good at a few. But this one idea, might be what my voice was made for.
I really, really believe we’re missing something when we talk about becoming better people. It’s not just about what is right and wrong, it’s about becoming. For us in the real world, the becoming is the whole ball game.
Becoming, in any domain, requires deliberate practice. The question is what do we practice? What are the exercises that strengthen our character? And why does it matter?
I think of curiosity, courage, and persistence as the three major muscle groups that make up our character. But how do we cultivate those three characteristics within us and within others?
That’s what I’ve been working on figuring out for almost two years now. And, I can’t wait to share it more.
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