Old Values for New Times

Old Values for New Times DR. GREGORY T. LAWTON

Old Values for New Times, Copyright June 2023 Dr. Gregory T. Lawton All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission from Gregory T. Lawton.

Muyblue Productions 2040 Raybrook SE, Suite 104 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

Dedication This is the second book that I have written specifically for the young students in my classes who have had a long mentorship relationship with me. It is my hope that if they find these simple thoughts worthy they will take them to heart.

THE OLD VALUES ARE OLD VALUES BECAUSE THEY WORK.

IF YOU WANT TO GROW, MAKE YOUR LIFE A LITTLE HARDER EVERY DAY.

DON’T SET YOURSELF ON FIRE TO WARM A COLD HEART.

DO NOT STRIVE TO BE UNDERSTOOD

BY OTHERS, YOU DON’T EVEN UNDERSTAND YOURSELF.

YOUR GREATEST POWER IS YOUR MIND, AND YOUR GREATEST WEAPON IS YOUR WORDS.

CHOOSE MEANING, RESPONSIBILITY, AND SERVICE OVER SELF, DESIRE, AND PLEASURE.

DON’T LET PEOPLE WHO CRITICIZE YOU MATTER.

IF SOMEONE TRIES TO HOLD YOU BACK, LEAVE THEM BEHIND.

WHEN CONFLICT IS EMINENT, TURN AND FACE IT HEAD ON.

WEAK AND MISERABLE PEOPLE ARE JEALOUS OF YOUR SUCCESS BUT RARELY ARE THEY WILLING TO MAKE THE SACRIFICES YOU DID TO SUCCEED.

IF THE MOB IS WALKING UP THE STREET, YOU SHOULD HEAD IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

HISTORY PROVES THAT MOST IDEAS, BELIEFS, AND OPINIONS HELD BY MEN ARE WRONG. A WISE PERSON HOLDS THEIR OWN CONVICTIONS.

IF A PERSON’S STOMACH IS GROWLING, THEY WON’T HEAR YOUR SERMON.

DON’T LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO SAY YOU CAN ONLY DO ONE THING OR CHOOSE ONE PATH IN LIFE. JUST BECAUSE THEY SETTLED FOR LESS IN LIFE DOESN’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO.

EVERYONE HATES, EVERYONE LIES, EVERYONE CHEATS, AND EVERYONE STEALS. THE VIRTUOUS PERSON SEEKS LOVE, TRUTH, AND HONESTY.

DON’T FOLLOW PEOPLE WHO USE FAILURE LIKE AN ALMS BOWL.

LISTEN INTENTLY, FORM YOUR THOUGHTS, AND CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY, IF YOU PERCEIVE YOU ARE NOT BEING LISTENED TO, REMAIN SILENT.

PERVERSITY IS THE MIRROR IMAGE OF SELF-HATRED.

HAVING A PURPOSE IN LIFE IS A HEALING BALM THAT CURES ALL ILLS.

LIKE AN OLD HOUSE YOU NEED REPAIR, YOU HAVE LEAKS AND CREAKS, TAKE ACCOUNT OF WHAT IS BROKEN AND MEND IT.

THE FIRST PERSON YOU NEED TO CARE FOR IS YOURSELF. IF YOU TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, YOU WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO CARE FOR OTHERS.

LEARN TO BE DANGEROUS MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY BUT CHOOSE A PEACEFUL PATH.

THERE IS NO VIRTUE TO BE FOUND IN WEAKNESS. WEAKNESS IS A LACK OF MANY THINGS, SUCH AS STRENGTH, CONFIDENCE, AND COURAGE.

EVERY DAY TAKE ONE MOMENT TO STAND IN FRONT OF A MIRROR AND BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH YOURSELF.

IF YOU ARE WILLING TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ONE PERSON, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST EVERYONE.

THE GREATEST FAILINGS IN YOUR LIFE WILL COME NOT FROM WRONG ACTS YOU COMMITTED BUT RATHER FROM ACTIONS YOU SHOULD HAVE TAKEN BUT DIDN’T.

ONE VIRTUOUS HABIT CONSISTENTLY PRACTICED WILL DEFEAT FIFTY BAD HABITS.

SELF-DISCIPLINE BESTOWS THE GREATEST REWARD.

IF LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE ARE GATHERING AND YELLING AND SCREAMING AND RANTING AND RAVING THAT IS CALLED A MOB, DON’T JOIN IT.

WISDOM IS LIKE A SPRING THAT NEVER STOPS FLOWING

SERVICE TO OTHERS IS THE CURE FOR ALL YOUR SUFFERING.

SUCCESS IS SIMPLY THE PRODUCT OF HARD WORK.

IF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE BELIEVE IN ONE THING, THAT BELIEF IS PROBABLY WRONG. QUESTION IT.

A NONVIOLENT PERSON INCAPABLE OF DEFENDING THEMSELVES IS NOT VIRTUOUS. WHEN A POWERFUL INDIVIDUAL CHOOSES NON-VIOLENCE, THAT IS VIRTUE.

IF YOU WANT TO SUCCEED IN LIFE UNDERSTAND IT IS THE PRODUCT OF HARD WORK AND THE GRACE OF GOD.

WHEN YOU ARE TRUE TO YOURSELF YOU ALWAYS KNOW WHAT TO SAY AND WHAT TO DO.

YOUR TRUE NATURE IS INHERENTLY NOBLE. WHY BELIEVE OR ACT OTHERWISE?

SUCCESS LEADS TO PRIVILEGES THAT THOSE WHO TAKE THE EASY PATH IN LIFE WILL NEVER ACHIEVE.

STOP APOLOGIZING FOR OTHER’S FAILURE. SETTLE YOUR OWN DEBTS FIRST.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO EMULATE PEOPLE WHO STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT FOR TRUTH, THAT IS HOW YOU BECOME A PERSON OF SUBSTANCE AND CHARACTER.

OFTEN, WE LEARN MORE FROM OUR FAILURES IN LIFE THAN OUR SUCCESSES.

About the Author Dr. Gregory T. Lawton is an author of many books, most of them in the field of health science, but also, in the genre of Asian martial arts, philosophy, spirituality, poetry, and prose. Dr. Lawton is a passionate award-winning artist and photographer who finds his artistic and creative inspiration in nature, and who frequently attributes the source of his images and writing to the 19th century Persian Prophet, Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, and the 13th century Persian poet and Sufi Mystic Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥ ammad Rūmī. Dr. Lawton has been a member of the Baha’i Faith since 1970 and embraces the Faith’s principles related to the promotion of world unity and peace.

Old Values for New Times, Copyright June 2023 Dr. Gregory T. Lawton All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission from Gregory T. Lawton.

Muyblue Productions 2040 Raybrook SE, Suite 104 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546