Compassionate Ruthlessness

Although these two words together seem to be a paradox they don't have to be.

For, it seems, those of us who actually survive to 30 or 60 or 80 or 80 all have to be ruthless. This is a given. If you are not ruthless or don't have someone ruthless to watch over you, you simply will not survive.

But, you don't have to be ruthless all the time just in certain situations. So, this is a rule to follow. Be the least ruthless you need to be to accomplish any goal and still achieve it. So, if you are strong enough to accomplish your goal don't accomplish it by trampling everyone you know into the mud.

For I can assure you that the world is filled with very rich people who don't have a single friend in the world because they were just too ruthless and knocked everyone down on their way to the top. I never chose this way. Instead I always put people first. I always took time off work to help friends who appeared to be ready to commit suicide during my twenties. I always put family, friends and human beings first. But, if you are not ruthless enough to survive your own life you really can't help anyone at all. So, you must be ruthless enough to survive so you can help if you are altruistic and compassionate.

So, Be compassionate all the time but be ruthless whenever you need to to survive. In the end if you don't do what it takes to keep your life together no one else will either.