Translations:

Other Pages:

Modules

Site Map

Key Words

Contact

Utility Documents

Useful Links

DO NOT TAKE YOURSELF SO SERIOUSLY

By Phil Bartle, PhD

Training Handout

Life is too serious to be taken seriously

Balance is an important requirement for mobilising communities. Poverty is a serious problem in this world today. But if we take ourselves too seriously, we will not be as effective in fighting the war against poverty.

It takes a certain amount of strength and courage to laugh at ourselves. If we do, however, we will build up more needed strength and courage.

The balance we need is to have a high enough regard for ourselves that we can be calm and confident as we do our work, and have enough humility that we do not act in an arrogant, supercilious manner.

To see the humour in ourselves and what we do, is a genuine form of humility, a divine gift. To laugh at others, especially at their misfortune, is false pride, an evil curse. When an issue is bothering you too much, ask yourself, “What will be the importance of this one hundred years from now?”

Put it into perspective.

© Copyright 1967, 1987, 2007 Phil Bartle
Web Design by Lourdes Sada

––»«––

Last update: 2012.03.23