Looking back, I wish I had taken the principles of Boy Scouts more seriously AFTER I earned Eagle and moved on. I think most people here could benefit from their ideas.
The Boy Scouts were formed nearly 100 years ago for a very simple reason: to help boys and young men develop into MEN. There's a reason they created a divide between "Boy Scout" and "Explorer Scout" - one program is designed to help boys become men, and the other is meant for fun and games (and women may join). There are three "Aims of Scouting": character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness. I think we can all agree with those principles as being important.
The Scout Motto: Be Prepared
Isn't that what we are doing here? We are learning more to better prepare ourselves for life's challenges.
The Scout Slogan: Do a Good Turn Daily
Make the world a better place. Women love a man who does good things for others, especially if he puts his life on the line to do so.
The Scout Law: A Scout is
Trustworthy
Loyal
Helpful
Friendly
Courteous
Kind
Obedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent
He is a man! You can count on him. He only looks to improve the world with a smile on his face. He is polite and tries not to do anything bad to anyone - he is KIND as opposed to NICE (he is good to others, except he has a BACKBONE). He is disciplined with his life and money. He leads the way, is just in his actions, and holds himself to a higher ideal - religious or otherwise.
The Scout Oath: On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
He holds himself to his own personal HONOR. He does the best he can, for himself and others. His body is taken care of, he continues to learn and keep his mind fresh, and he lives by morals and disciplines set by himself.
Even if you were never a Boy Scout, I think you can learn something from their model. Becoming a man in their eyes has nothing to do with earning badges and sucking up to leaders: it's a journey that forces you to be a respectable citizen, to be healthy and active, and to stand up for what you believe in and take the lead in life.
The Boy Scouts were formed nearly 100 years ago for a very simple reason: to help boys and young men develop into MEN. There's a reason they created a divide between "Boy Scout" and "Explorer Scout" - one program is designed to help boys become men, and the other is meant for fun and games (and women may join). There are three "Aims of Scouting": character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness. I think we can all agree with those principles as being important.
The Scout Motto: Be Prepared
Isn't that what we are doing here? We are learning more to better prepare ourselves for life's challenges.
The Scout Slogan: Do a Good Turn Daily
Make the world a better place. Women love a man who does good things for others, especially if he puts his life on the line to do so.
The Scout Law: A Scout is
Trustworthy
Loyal
Helpful
Friendly
Courteous
Kind
Obedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent
He is a man! You can count on him. He only looks to improve the world with a smile on his face. He is polite and tries not to do anything bad to anyone - he is KIND as opposed to NICE (he is good to others, except he has a BACKBONE). He is disciplined with his life and money. He leads the way, is just in his actions, and holds himself to a higher ideal - religious or otherwise.
The Scout Oath: On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
He holds himself to his own personal HONOR. He does the best he can, for himself and others. His body is taken care of, he continues to learn and keep his mind fresh, and he lives by morals and disciplines set by himself.
Even if you were never a Boy Scout, I think you can learn something from their model. Becoming a man in their eyes has nothing to do with earning badges and sucking up to leaders: it's a journey that forces you to be a respectable citizen, to be healthy and active, and to stand up for what you believe in and take the lead in life.