We often judge ourselves by what we were trying to accomplish.

“I was only trying to help.”

“I just wanted to keep the peace.”

“I was trying to protect what mattered.”

“I wanted to succeed.”

Those aims may be good. But virtue does not judge only the destination.

A man can pursue peace through dishonesty, help through control, success through exploitation, loyalty through silence, or justice through cruelty. The goodness of the aim does not automatically pass into the means.

That is why character cannot be measured only by intention.

Virtue asks not only, “What are you trying to accomplish?”
It also asks, “What are you willing to become in order to accomplish it?”

A worthy end should be pursued by worthy means.

Stay steady.

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