Living Font: Do It Anyway

There’s something about working in social media that makes everyone think you are open to professional advice.  Maybe it’s because as long as I’m awake, I’m accessible through one channel or another – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn message, email, cell phone attached to my hip… – or maybe it’s because the social media community thrives on crowdsourcing. Whatever the reason, there have been more times than I can count that people have told me that I worry too much about being honest and fair and that the only way to succeed in business is by taking the same cut throat approach as my competitors. Every now and then I begin to think that they could be right. But the other day I came across this poem, which has been attributed to Mother Teresa but was actually written by Kent M. Keith:

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

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.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

Knowing who you are and what you believe is difficult. Staying true to those things is even more difficult. I’m going to print this out and hang it in my office so I know where to look the next time someone offers their advice.

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7 Comments

  • This is very true!

  • There’s a beautiful song (which I think is based on this poem) by Martina McBride called “Anyway”. I love the lyrics and whenever I’m feeling down about something, I listen to it and remind myself of the same things you did.

  • This is beautiful! I love it! May need to keep this at my desk as a reminder too!

  • Janet

    Great post, Amy! I was filling out an application for something last week. My son asked me why I was doing so because he knows this particular outfit has been blackballing me for the past few years. I told him I was not only going to fill out the app but give it my best shot because anything worth doing, was worth doing well. It appears that the last part of your poem is something that I’ve always taken to heart. 🙂

  • When I started reading this I also thought of the Martina McBride song “Anyway”. It is one song I love to listen to over and over. The message never gets old.

  • JoeyfromSC

    LOVE that Amy! thanks for sharing!

  • This poem is the summary of my belief system and how I try to live my life every single day.
    It’s not easy and I truly believe we can only live this way by getting close to God.
    Thanks for posting it and reminding us all.
    Blessings,
    Eren