Getting It Together: Getting It Together: PRINCIPLESPRINCIPLES

ObjectivesObjectives::Determine what it means to live a Determine what it means to live a principled life.principled life.Decide on principles for your life.Decide on principles for your life.

What do you think “principles” are What do you think “principles” are as we refer to them in Teen as we refer to them in Teen

Leadership?Leadership?

One thing is certain…the principles One thing is certain…the principles we’re going to talk about today are we’re going to talk about today are not Mr. Blankenship!not Mr. Blankenship!

Let’s consider this definition of Let’s consider this definition of “principle”.“principle”.

““A fundamental truth or A fundamental truth or motivating force; a code of motivating force; a code of conduct that produces conduct that produces uprightness and integrity.uprightness and integrity.””

Our principles guide and direct Our principles guide and direct every decision we make. Let’s look every decision we make. Let’s look at principles that Flip Flippen lives at principles that Flip Flippen lives

by (turn to pg. 73).by (turn to pg. 73). Given that Flip Flippen wrote the things Given that Flip Flippen wrote the things

we’ve heard in Teen Leadership, would we’ve heard in Teen Leadership, would we expect him to lie on his income tax we expect him to lie on his income tax return?return?

No! Because one of his principles is: No! Because one of his principles is: I will I will strive to conduct myself with wisdom, strive to conduct myself with wisdom, integrity, and honor in all that I do.integrity, and honor in all that I do.

Would we expect that he would ask Would we expect that he would ask anyone to participate in something anyone to participate in something illegal or potentially harmful?illegal or potentially harmful?

No! Because another of his No! Because another of his principles is: principles is: I will call forth the best I will call forth the best from myself and those I serve – to from myself and those I serve – to encourage, challenge, support, and encourage, challenge, support, and strengthen.strengthen.

Would we expect him to talk bad Would we expect him to talk bad about his employees behind their about his employees behind their backs?backs?

No! Because he also lives by the No! Because he also lives by the principle: principle: We will create and We will create and maintain an attentive and caring maintain an attentive and caring environment among ourselves and environment among ourselves and those we servethose we serve..

How can a direction compass be a How can a direction compass be a metaphor for principlesmetaphor for principles??

……they determine our course.they determine our course. ……they show us where we want they show us where we want

to be headed.to be headed. ……they affect our behavior.they affect our behavior.

Our overall approach to life.Our overall approach to life. It is our principles that help us to develop an It is our principles that help us to develop an

overall approach to life. overall approach to life. They are a reflection of our values, and they They are a reflection of our values, and they

help us to rise above every situation and help us to rise above every situation and make wise choices. So when someone acts make wise choices. So when someone acts in a hateful manner toward me…it is my in a hateful manner toward me…it is my principles, or lack of principles, that will principles, or lack of principles, that will determine the response I choose.determine the response I choose.

If I live by the principle: If I live by the principle: I will do all that I can I will do all that I can to empower others to live in healthy and to empower others to live in healthy and confident waysconfident ways,…then I may choose to talk ,…then I may choose to talk with the person to find out why that person with the person to find out why that person is treating me like that.is treating me like that.

If, however, I’m uncertain about my If, however, I’m uncertain about my principles, then I may react to the principles, then I may react to the offensive behavior by trying to get offensive behavior by trying to get back at or hurt that person!back at or hurt that person!

The consequences of that choice are The consequences of that choice are almost always painful for everyone…almost always painful for everyone…and healthy relationships do not and healthy relationships do not occur.occur.

What is success?What is success?

What keeps people from being successful?What keeps people from being successful? Is it poverty that causes people to steal Is it poverty that causes people to steal

and riot? Or is it because of racism that I and riot? Or is it because of racism that I don’t have an opportunity to succeed in life don’t have an opportunity to succeed in life and get a good job?and get a good job?

It is true that being poor can be an It is true that being poor can be an obstacle and being in a minority can be obstacle and being in a minority can be tough, tough, butbut we don’t have to let these we don’t have to let these things keep us from being successful!things keep us from being successful!

In many cases, these are simply excuses.In many cases, these are simply excuses.

What is our greatest enemy?What is our greatest enemy?

What is the greatest obstacle to our What is the greatest obstacle to our success?success?

The single greatest enemy any of us The single greatest enemy any of us face…the one thing that holds us face…the one thing that holds us back more than anything else…back more than anything else…

……is ourselves! That’s right! You can is ourselves! That’s right! You can be your greatest enemy!be your greatest enemy!

Just as I can be my greatest enemy!Just as I can be my greatest enemy!

Flip has said, “More people are Flip has said, “More people are ruined by a wrong self-perception ruined by a wrong self-perception

than anything else.”than anything else.” During the first speech in Teen During the first speech in Teen

Leadership when we described Leadership when we described ourselves, we said things like: ourselves, we said things like: • ““I have a brother or a sister;”I have a brother or a sister;”• ““I live in this or that place;”I live in this or that place;”• ““I’m in such and such club;”I’m in such and such club;”• ““I have this or that kind of pet;”I have this or that kind of pet;”• ““I play on this or that team.”I play on this or that team.”

That’s not who you are! That’s what That’s not who you are! That’s what you do!you do!

Who you are is what you value! Who Who you are is what you value! Who you are is the principles by which you you are is the principles by which you conduct your life and control potentially conduct your life and control potentially harmful emotions and selfish desires.harmful emotions and selfish desires.

It’s not always easy at first…It’s not always easy at first… Living by principles isn’t always easy at Living by principles isn’t always easy at

first, and especially not in our present first, and especially not in our present culture.culture.

Often we fail to live up to them when we’re Often we fail to live up to them when we’re first starting out. But instead of eroding first starting out. But instead of eroding and lowering our principles, we should keep and lowering our principles, we should keep trying to live by these proven rules of trying to live by these proven rules of conduct.conduct.

If we haven’t developed our principles yet, If we haven’t developed our principles yet, we must establish them and, most we must establish them and, most importantly…importantly…

We We mustmust live according to them once we’ve live according to them once we’ve done so.done so.

Universal PrinciplesUniversal Principles Page 75Page 75 Read the story.Read the story.

Page 74Page 74 Take a minute and look over the Universal Take a minute and look over the Universal

Principles listed.Principles listed. Put a check by the ones you would want to Put a check by the ones you would want to

live by. live by. Then, using these or writing your own, Then, using these or writing your own,

write down in your journal at least three write down in your journal at least three principles that you would want to base your principles that you would want to base your life on.life on.