The Invisible Mentor

A few weeks ago I did a favor for someone and they didn’t say thanks, which ticked me off. Originally I was going to charge him but he couldn’t afford to pay, since he needed the information badly,  I gave it to him for free. I was complaining to a friend and she instructed me to let it go because another person will do a kind deed for me. I think the thing which irked me the most is that he behaved as if he could afford my service, and when I realized that he couldn’t, I gave it to him and he then behaved as if the service wasn’t valuable. I took my friend’s advice and let go.

But, while going through book reviews I wrote a few years ago, I came across the review of Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments by Kent M. Keith. I really needed to be reminded of The 10 Paradoxical Commandments. This post is as much for me as it is for you. We (myself included) should never do things expecting gratitude or praise in return. Please let me know what you think.

Here are The 10 Paradoxical Commandments, which are an excerpt from Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments, Kent M. Keith:

The 10 Paradoxical Commandments

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centred. 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 will 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. 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.
7. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
9. People really need help but may attack you if you help them. Help people anyway.
10. Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway

If you have never read Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments by Kent M. Keith, pick up a copy today, it’s an easy read. The story goes that “The Paradoxical Commandments,” which was first written as a poem had hung on the wall of  Mother Theresa‘s  children’s home in Calcutta, India.

What are your thoughts about The 10 Paradoxical Commandments? Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment.

Image Credit: Bing via Apture

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