These are excerpts from the author’s book “Deep,” which contains eight of his small books published in the form of Wisdom Literature covering different aspects of life: Facing troublemakers, dealing with pain, personal financial issues, gastronomy, reading, criticizing, inspiring, and feeling always good to go.

Series 2: You Are Always Good to Go.

Week 21: To Go with Ethics

• Ethics do not keep you from moving positively. Stubbornness in interpreting ethics does.

• We often act and then try to justify our behaviors to suit our interpretations of ethics.

• When we find no escape from admitting that we have been pragmatic in our behavior, we subsequently tend to have an amazing ability to forget.

• Our material interests are the most dangerous competitors of our desire to be ethical.

• Critical times are the real test of ethics. Who would resist the temptation to stick to ethical approaches when it costs him no loss?

• The most pragmatic actors do not declare they are bypassing ethics; they just invent their own ethical definitions.

• Power has a magical influence to convince its audience that it is ethical whatever it does.

• You must get rid of your weaknesses to convince others of the value of your ethics.

• Ethics should not be a choice, but it is definitely a challenge.

• You should not bargain away your principles at any cost; just be flexible when expressing these principles in front of others, especially those who are or will be negatively affected by them.

• Your real test of adherence to ethics comes only during tough times.

• Easy times are luxurious tests of our ethical tendencies.

• Ethics by definition is a continuous challenge. Reevaluation is a continuous need.

• Ethics will not primarily eliminate barriers from your path. Rather, ethics are the necessary humps that will slow you down as you speed toward your destination.

• The choice to ignore ethics completely will not make the journey as easy as you might imagine. While some difficulties will disappear when ignoring ethics, other tough challenges will certainly rise up in turn.

• Ignoring a tough ethical challenge on your way will give you the impression that you have almost reached your destination. Enjoy that feeling while it lasts, but remember: it is not a fact. Challenges stop only after reaching your destination, and not even just a few steps before that.

• Ethics are never the reason for not reaching your destination. It is all about the approach you use to handle your ethics.

• When you think about bypassing ethics, justifications look unlimited. Work hard and don’t get excused.

• Good companions along the way are important; take care of them. It is not wise to tire them out with the consequences of your principles. To read more about the author, click here