Part Four: Life’s Reward: Concepts of Self-Esteem
“If you done it, it ain’t bragging.” —John Wayne
Earned Greatness.The fourth cognitive element, the concept of validation, has many faces. The effect of so many causes, it first stands for justice. In this regard, the words rewardand consequenceare synonymous. For the slothful, validation is the hell on Earth they bring about by their own default. For Self-made Man, it is the glory of his existence. We are the men who see and hear, and trust those perceptions. We are the men who think and feel, and are totally honest about the conclusions we draw and the actions we take. We never, never, neverdrop our minds. We produce and therefore earn the stunning luxuries our freedom makes possible. Beautiful homes, exotic cars, sun-soaked vacations, a life with the mate of our dreams—it’s all possible in this land of opportunity. The disciplined focus of our efforts, the intelligent choices and dedicated hours provides a steady climb to heights of our own. We know what we’ve earned and our work should berewarded, and in America, it is; yet the most important reward is internal. The reward is self-esteem. It is our own ruthless sense of justice, knowing our own value and looking outward; ready to accept and give value for value in love and respect for existence and for others; with our greatest human bond reserved for those who live up to our standards. This is the spiritual stature of a Self-made Man.