RECENTLY RECENTLY I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN the résumé virtues !" the eu#$%& virtues' The résumé virtues re the $!es &$u #ist $! &$ur résumé( the s)i##s tht &$u *ri!% t$ the +$* mr)et !" tht ,$!tri*ute t$ e-ter!# su,,ess' The eu#$%& virtues re "ee.er' "ee.er' The&’re the virtues tht %et t#)e" *$ut t &$ur /u!er#( the $!es tht e-ist t the ,$re $/ &$ur *ei!%01hether &$u re )i!"( *rve( h$!est $r /ith/u#2 1ht )i!" $/ re#ti$!shi.s &$u /$rme"' 3$st $/ us 1$u#" s& tht the eu#$%& virtues re m$re im.$rt!t th! the résumé virtues( *ut I ,$!/ess tht /$r #$!% stret,hes $/ m& #i/e I’ve s.e!t m$re time thi!)i!% *$ut the #tter th! the /$rmer' /$rmer' Our e"u,ti$! s&stem is ,erti!#& $rie!te" r$u!" the résumé virtues m$re th! the eu#$%& $!es' 4u*#i, ,$!versti$! is( t$$0the se#/5 he#. ti.s i! m%6i!es( the !$!7,ti$! *estse##ers' 3$st $/ us hve ,#erer strte%ies /$r h$1 t$ ,hieve ,reer su,,ess th! 1e "$ /$r h$1 t$ "eve#$. .r$/$u!" ,hr,ter' O!e *$$) tht hs he#.e" me thi!) *$ut these t1$ sets $/ virtues is Lonely Man of Faith, 1hi,h 1s 1ritte! *& R**i 8$se.h 9$#$veit,hi) i! :;<=' 9$#$veit,hi) !$te" tht there re t1$ ,,$u!ts $/ ,reti$! i! Ge!esis !" r%ue" tht these re.rese!t the t1$ $..$si!% si"es $/ $ur !ture( 1hi,h he ,##e" A"m I !" A"m II' 3$"er!i6i!% 9$#$veit,hi)’s ,te%$ries *it( 1e ,$u#" s& tht A"m I is the ,reer5 ,reer5 $rie!te"( m*iti$us si"e $/ $ur !ture' A"m I is the e-ter!#( résumé A"m' A"m' A"m I 1!ts t$ *ui#"( ,rete( .r$"u,e( !" "is,$ver thi!%s' He 1!ts t$ hve hi%h st tus !" 1i! vi,t$ries' A"m II is the i!ter!# A"m' A"m II 1!ts t$ em*$"& ,erti! m$r# >u#ities' A"m II 1!ts t$ hve sere!e i!!er ,hr,ter( >uiet *ut s$#i" se!se $/ ri%ht !" 1r$!%0!$t $!#& t$ "$ %$$"( *ut t$ *e %$$"' A"m II 1!ts t$ #$ve i! timte#&( t$ s,ri7,e se#/ i! the servi,e $/ $thers( t$ #ive i! $*e"ie!,e t$ s$me tr!s,e!"e!t truth( t$ hve ,$hesive i!!er s$u# tht h$!$rs ,reti$! !" $!e’s $1! .$ssi*i#ities' Whi#e A"m I 1!ts t$ ,$!>uer the 1$r#"( A"m II 1!ts t$ $*e& ,##i!% t$ serve the 1$r#"' Whi#e A"m I is ,retive !" sv$rs his $1! ,,$m.#ishme!ts( A"m II s$metimes re!$u!,es 1$r#"#& su,,ess !" sttus /$r the s)e $/ s$me s,re" .ur.$se' Whi#e A"m I s)s h$1 thi!%s 1$r)( A"m II s)s 1h& thi!%s e-ist( !" 1ht u#timte#& 1e re here /$r' Whi#e A"m I 1!ts t$ ve!ture /$rth( A"m II 1!ts t$ retur! t$ his r$$ts !" sv$r the 1rmth $/ /mi#& me#' Whi#e A"m I’s m$tt$ is ?9u,,ess(@ A"m II e-.erie!,es #i/e s m$r# "rm' His m$tt$ is ?Chrit&( #$ve( !" re"em.ti$!'@ 9$#$veit,hi) r%ue" tht 1e #ive i! the ,$!tr"i,ti$! *et1ee! these t1$ A"ms' The $uter( m+esti, A"m !" the i!!er( hum*#e A"m re !$t /u##& re,$!,i#*#e' We We re /$rever ,u%ht i! se#/5,$!/r$!tti$!' We We re ,##e" t$ /u#7## *$th .ers$!e( !" must mu st mster the rt $/ #ivi!% /$rever 1ithi! the te!si$! *et1ee! these t1$ !tures'
The hr" .rt $/ this this ,$!/r$!tti$!( I’" ""( ""( is tht A"ms A"ms I !" II #ive *& "iere!t "iere!t #$%i,s' A"m I0the ,reti!%( *ui#"i!%( !" "is,$veri!% A"m0#ives *& stri%ht/$r1r" uti#itri! #$%i,' #$%i,' It’s the #$%i, $/ e,$!$mi,s' I!.ut #e"s t$ $ut.ut' E$rt #e"s t$ re1r"' 4r,ti,e 4r,ti,e m)es .er/e,t' 4ursue se#/5i!terest' 3-imi6e &$ur uti#it&' Im.ress the 1$r#"' A"m II #ives *& ! i!verse #$%i,' It’s m$r# #$%i,( !$t ! e,$!$mi, $!e' Y$u Y$u hve t$ %ive t$ re,eive' Y Y$u $u hve t$ surre!"er t$ s$methi!% $utsi"e &$urse#/ t$ %i! stre!%th 1ithi! &$urse#/' Y$u Y$u hve t$ ,$!>uer &$ur "esire t$ %et 1ht &$u ,rve' 9u,,ess #e"s t$ the %retest /i#ure( 1hi,h is .ri"e' Fi#ure Fi#ure #e"s t$ the %retest su,,ess( 1hi,h is humi#it& !" #er!i!%' I! $r"er t$ /u#7## &$urse#/( &$u hve t$ /$r%et &$urse#/' &$urse#/' I! $r"er t$ 7!" &$urse#/( &$u hve t$ #$se &$urse#/' T$ T$ !urture &$ur A"m I ,reer( it m)es m)es se!se t$ ,u#tivte &$ur stre!%ths' stre!%ths' T$ T$ !urture &$ur A"m II m$r# ,$re( it is !e,essr& t$ ,$!/r$!t &$ur 1e)!esses' The 9hre1" A!im# A!im# WE LIVE IN A CULTURE THAT NURTURE9 ADA3 I( THE ETERNAL ADA3( AND !e%#e,ts A"m II' We #ive i! s$,iet& tht e!,$ur%es us t$ thi!) *$ut h$1 t$ hve %ret ,reer *ut #eves m!& $/ us i!rti,u#te *$ut h$1 t$ ,u#tivte the i!!er #i/e' The ,$m.etiti$! t$ su,,ee" !" 1i! "mirti$! is s$ 7er,e tht it *e,$mes ##5 ,$!sumi!%' The ,$!sumer mr)et.#,e e!,$ur%es us t$ #ive *& uti#itri! ,#,u#us( t$ stis/& $ur "esires !" #$se si%ht $/ the m$r# st)es i!v$#ve" i! ever&5 "& "e,isi$!s' The !$ise $/ /st !" sh ##$1 ,$mmu!i,ti$!s m)es it hr"er t$ her the >uieter s$u!"s tht em!te /r$m the "e.ths' We #ive i! ,u#ture tht te,hes us t$ .r$m$te !" "vertise $urse#ves !" t$ mster the s)i##s re>uire" /$r su,,ess( *ut tht %ives #itt#e e!,$ur%eme!t t$ hu mi#it&( s&m.th&( !" h$!est se#/5 ,$!/r$!tti$!( 1hi,h re !e,essr& /$r *ui#"i!% ,hr,ter' ,hr,ter' I/ &$u re $!#& A"m I( &$u tur! i!t$ shre1" !im#( ,r/t&( se#/5 se#/5 .reservi!% ,reture 1h$ is "e.t t .#&i!% the %me !" 1h$ tur!s ever&thi!% i!t$ %me' I/ tht’s ## &$u hve( &$u s.e!" #$t $/ time ,u#tivti!% .r$/essi$!# s)i##s( *ut &$u "$!’t hve ,#er i"e $/ the s$ur,es $/ me!i!% i! #i/e( s$ &$u "$!’t )!$1 1here &$u sh$u#" "ev$te &$ur s)i##s( 1hi,h ,reer .th 1i## *e hi%hest !" *est' Yers .ss !" the "ee.est .rts $/ &$urse#/ %$ u!e-.#$re" u !e-.#$re" !" u!stru,ture"' Y$u Y$u re *us&( *ut &$u hve v%ue !-iet& tht &$ur #i/e hs !$t ,hieve" its u#timte me!i!% !" si%!i7,!,e' Y$u Y$u #ive 1ith ! u!,$!s,i$us *$re"$m( !$t re##& #$vi!%( !$t re##& tt,he" t$ the m$r# .ur.$ses tht %ive #i/e its 1$rth' Y$u Y$u #,) the i!ter!# ,riteri t$ m)e u!sh)*#e ,$mmitme!ts' Y$u Y$u !ever "eve#$. i!!er ,$!st!,&( the i!te%rit& tht th t ,! 1ithst!" .$.u#r "is..r$v# $r seri$us *#$1' Y$u 7!" &$urse#/ "$i!% thi!%s tht $ther .e$.#e ..r$ve $/( 1hether these thi!%s th i!%s re ri%ht /$r &$u $r !$t' Y$u Y$u /$$#ish#& +u"%e $ther .e$.#e *& their *i#ities( !$t *& their 1$rth' Y$u "$ !$t hve strte%& t$ *ui#" ,hr,ter( !" 1ith$ut tht( !$t $!#& &$ur i!!er #i/e *ut #s$ &$ur e-ter!# #i/e 1i## eve!tu##& /## t$ .ie,es' This *$$) is *$ut A"m II' It’s *$ut h $1 s$me .e$.#e hve ,u#tivte" str$!% ,hr,ter' ,hr,ter' It’s *$ut $!e mi!"set tht .e$.#e thr$u%h the
,e!turies hve "$.te" t$ .ut ir$! i! their ,$re !" t$ ,u#tivte 1ise hert' I 1r$te it( t$ *e h$!est( t$ sve m& $1! s$u#' I 1s *$r! 1ith !tur# "is.$siti$! t$1r" sh##$1!ess' I !$1 1$r) s .u!"it !" ,$#um!ist' I’m .i" t$ *e !r,issisti, *#$1hr"( t$ v$##e& m& $.i!i$!s( t$ ..er m$re ,$!7"e!t *$ut them th! I re##& m( t$ ..er smrter th! I re##& m( t$ ..er *etter !" m$re uth$rittive th! I re##& m' I hve t$ 1$r) hr"er th! m$st .e$.#e t$ v$i" #i/e $/ smu% su.er7,i#it&' su.er7,i#it&' I’ve #s$ *e,$me m$re 1re tht( #i)e m!& .e$.#e these "&s( I hve #ive" #i/e $/ v%ue m$r# s.irti$!0v%ue#& 1!ti!% t$ *e %$$"( v%ue#& 1!ti!% t$ serve s$me #r%er .ur.$se( 1hi#e #,)i!% ,$!,rete m$r# v$,*u#r& , ,#er u!"erst!"i!% $/ h$1 t$ #ive ri,h i!!er #i/e( $r eve! ,#er )!$1#e"%e $/ h$1 ,hr,ter is "eve#$.e" !" "e.th is ,hieve"' I’ve "is,$vere" tht 1ith$ut ri%$r$us /$,us $! the A"m II si"e $/ $ur !ture( it is es& t$ s#i. i!t$ se#/5stis7e" m$r# me"i$,rit&' Y$u %r"e &$urse#/ $! /$r%ivi!% ,urve' Y$u Y$u /$##$1 &$ur "esires 1her ever the& t)e &$u( !" &$u ..r$ve $/ &$urse#/ s$ #$!% s &$u re !$t $*vi$us#& hurti!% !&$!e e#se' Y$u Y$u 7%ure tht i/ the .e$.#e r$u!" &$u seem t$ #i)e &$u( &$u must *e %$$" e!$u%h' I! the .r$,ess &$u e!" u. s#$1#& tur!i!% &$urse#/ i!t$ s$methi!% #itt#e #ess im.ressive th! &$u h" $ri%i!##& h$.e"' A humi#iti!% %. $.e!s u. *et1ee! &$ur ,tu# se#/ !" &$ur "esire" se#/' Y$u re#i6e tht the v$i,e $/ &$ur A"m I is #$u" *ut the v$i,e $/ &$ur A"m II is mue"2 the #i/e .#! $/ A"m I is ,#er( *ut the #i/e .#! $/ A"m II is /u66&2 A"m I is #ert( A"m II is s#ee.1#)i!%' I 1r$te this *$$) !$t sure I ,$u#" /$##$1 the r$" t$ ,hr,ter( *ut I 1!te" t #est t$ )!$1 1ht the r$" #$$)s #i)e !" h$1 $ther .e$.#e hve tr$""e! it'
Excerpted from THE ROAD TO CHARACTER by David roo!"# Copyri$ht % &'() by David roo!"# Excerpted by permi""ion of Random Ho*"e, a divi"ion of +en$*in Random Ho*"e LLC# All ri$ht" re"erved# o part of thi" excerpt may be reprod*ced or reprinted -itho*t permi""ion in -ritin$ from the p*bli"her#
