Nicer than Nike

Everyone was so into the Nike slogan "Just Do It", which was coined by Dan Wieden  for a 1988 Nike ad campaign. It has been recognized as one of the top five ad slogans of the 20th century and was given a place in the Smithsonian .Wieden said he was inspired by the last words of Gary Gilmore before his execution for the murder of two people.(1) Ironic isn't it?

I like Mother Teresa's take on this philosophy better. It is said to have been based on part of "The Paradoxical Commandments" which was  written by Kent M. Keith in 1968 as part of a booklet for student leaders (2)

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 The version found written on the wall in 

Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta:

              People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.

                        Forgive them anyway.

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

                        Be kind anyway.

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

                               Succeed anyway.

           If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. 

                        Be honest and sincere anyway.

            What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  

                        Create anyway.

            If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  

                         Be happy anyway.

            The good you do today, will often be forgotten. 

                           Do good anyway.

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

                         Give your best anyway.

         In the final analysis, it is between you and God. 

                       It was never between you and them anyway.

     One way to be happier is to allow yourself to be inspired by people who are the change they want to see in the world. And then to try to do the same. At the end of a day in which you have practiced integrity of being (your inside not being ashamed of or misrepresented by your outside), you can go to sleep with a smile on your face. It isn't about being perfect at it, it's about understanding that it is something that must be practiced.

1." Nike, Inc". wikipedia.com. retrieved 12-29-2012

2."Mother Teresa: "Do It Anyway" The Prayer Foundation. http://prayerfoundation.org/mother_teresa_do_it_anyway.htm retrieved 12-29-2012