Seneca Moral essays
Seneca: Let your own goodness of heart be gradually…
Let your own goodness of heart be gradually spread and diffused throughout the whole body of the empire, and all parts of it will mould themselves into your likeness. Good health proceeds from the head into all the members of the body: they are all either brisk and erect, or languid and drooping, according as their guiding spirit blooms or withers.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Seneca’s moral essays. The reading beside it is ours.
The tone at the top travels. A tense founder creates a tense company. A parent who meets every inconvenience with irritation teaches the household to do the same. A team leader who admits mistakes and gives credit makes it safer for everyone else to be honest. We like to think culture is created by slogans, policies, or a motivational speech. More often it is created by the emotional habits of the person with the most influence. Your mood, standards, and treatment of others spread farther than you can see. This is not a reason to perform cheerfulness or pretend that nothing is wrong. It is a reason to govern yourself before trying to govern anyone else. If you want more calm, courage, and generosity around you, begin by making them visible in your own conduct. The health of the whole often starts with the discipline of its head.
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