Anyway

These ten principles were first articulated by Kent Keith as a student at Harvard in the 1960s. Since then, unbeknownst to him, they were quoted, circulated, and appropriated by countless people around the world and back again. They even served as a source of inspiration for Mother Teresa. Now, here are his commandments, the philosophy behind them, and the stories that bring them to life.

The first five Paradoxical Commandments: 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.Kent M. Keith earned his B.A. from Harvard and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and Waseda University in Tokyo. He holds a law degree as well as a doctorate in education. Keith has served in the cabinet of the governor of Hawaii, and has also been an attorney, and a university president. Currently, he is the vice-president of Development and Communications for the YMCA of Honolulu.