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Be a good person don’t waste time to prove it: The Paulo Coelho quote on being a good person is all about personal values, social conditioning and the image we want to create in the society. The meaning of this quote can be split into the reality of being good vs appearing good. Everywhere we see, there’s a huge drive from people around us to appear good. Not many people seem to be investing in actually being good. This is primarily because it would take more work to be a good person in the first place.

We are not going to talk about how to become a good person. You know that very well already. This quote is about the difference between being good and appearing good. We can chase the vanity metric and appear good. All we have to do is hire a few good PR people and they can help create a fantastic image of you. This is easier in the digital world where some of these proofs can only be surfaced. Some simple examples are appearing to do charity or philanthropic work.

The truth is, this feeling of appearing good fades away at some point. It won’t be sustained for as long as we want. Also, we must realise that this appearance game is fleeting. People are interested in different things at different points in time. If we play to the masses’ desires, we won’t have enough time to work on ourselves. Hence the term – this is a vanity metric. This is also the meaning of this quote by Paulo Coelho – be a good person don’t waste time to prove it.

Be a good person don’t waste time to prove it

It is your choice to decide what type of person you want to become. No one can force this on you. If you don’t feel like being good internally, then don’t try to fight it and become one for the sake of society. If the feelings don’t come from within, they won’t last. Spend time to understand why you feel a certain way. Also, the definition of good changes from one person to another.

The same rules don’t apply for everyone. This is also the key problem when we try to prove that we are good. We get stuck in the loop of trying to identify what good means to different people. This business of playing to the masses will only end in doom because you can never win consistently.

Be a good person

Once you decide you want to be a good person, focus all your energies on it. Don’t let the circumstances get the better of you. Life will challenge you at every stage possible. We all waver, but the strongest amongst us stay close to our values and fight for them. This is where being a good person comes into play. Stay with this feeling for as long as you can. Try to listen to what your mind tells you and focus on that. Everything else is pure noise.

Don’t waste time to prove it

Proving that you’re good is a difficult task. Too many people in this world are trying to prove that they are good. This includes people who have inflicted horrible crimes on humanity but want to have a good social image so that they can have some personal gains. The moment you want to appear good, you are competing with these people. Sometimes, these are the very people that you hate. The trouble is – the moment you compete with these people, you play in the same level field as them. Unfortunately, the game also comes with a few rules of its own.

Once you enter this competition to prove you are good – there’s no going back. It will suck you in and immerse you in the game. It will be all about numbers and metrics from this point – all the while trying to see how you appear in the eyes of different people. Imagine what this does to your personal and emotional framework. You become a product of the society and lose the essence of being yourself.

Be a good person don’t waste time to prove it – Paulo Coelho

Be a nice person quotes

People love a nice person or rather people love a person that appears nice. This however is a slightly tricky definition. For some people being nice means that you can take advantage of them. For some even others it is about how good they are to other people. Some may even say that a nice person is the one who achieves what no one has done before. As you can see there are already many definitions of being a good person.

There’s no one universal definition of being nice. But one definition of being nice comes close. It is about what your values are and how you live by them. It comes back to the point made by Paulo Coelho in his words – be a good person don’t waste time to prove it.

Being good or nice is up to your values. As long as you know what they are and live close the them – that’s the best thing you can do with your life. For a moment, let the external factors be. Focus inward and identify what matters the most to you. This will start creating a path for you – whether it is to be a nice person or to be someone who appears as a good person. Let’s now explore these quotes in the context of be a good person don’t waste time to prove it.

Goodness is about character—integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, and moral courage – Dennis Prager

Being a good person is about what lies within the person. Sometimes, the character is about how we are when no one is watching. It is deeply fundamental to who we are as a person. This type of goodness is within your bones. You know for a fact that you’re this person inside out. There’s no extra effort needed to prove yourself as someone else. It is as if there are no layers to peel because the goodness in you is deep within and permeates the world all around you.

Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value – Albert Einstein

Success demands a different type of skillset compared to value. In some ways, being successful is easier – if you immerse yourself in a field of specialisation, you can be successful. Success also demands that you are ruthless in your ambition and are willing to go the extra mile to achieve it. But success sometimes comes at the cost of value and questions your allegiance towards it. What will you do when there’s a conflict between what you need to do for success vs what your values tell you? (11 Passionate Albert Einstein Quotes for your Personal Power)

It might sound like an easy decision, but I can assure you that it’s not. Life has a way of tempting us and it will tempt us to a deeper extent where we question our values. Hence the words – try to become a person of value. This defines you as a person and something deeply personal about you.

Right is right, wrong is wrong

Again, we come back to being a good person versus appearing good. Deep down within your heart, you always know what’s right. Sometimes, the right approach is not the most popular one. It might even make you appear bad in the eyes of other people. What will you do in such a situation? Will you risk your social image and go after what you think is right?

When we say, be a good person don’t waste time to prove it – It is a bold approach to go with your values and we know that fortune favours the brave. But, how many of us are willing to challenge the social image of ourselves and do what’s right? (Right is right and wrong is wrong – William Penn)

If you can’t do great things, do small things in a great way – Napoleon Hill

The great things are nothing but an accumulation of small things that add value. They add up together and create something fascinating. This is true about all good deeds in the world. If we keep our heads down, and do what we feel like because our heart tells us – these results accumulate. These accumulated results show up in everything we do and who we become as people. If we are only concerned about being a good person, we should focus on these small things and do what’s right. The rest will follow. Even fame – the elusive thing will find a way to follow.

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others – Mahatma Gandhi

One final quote about being a nice person. The best way to do this is by losing yourself in the service of others. We are all humans and we thrive on the value that we add to each other’s lives. We know that kindness and love are popular images. They will make you appear as a good person i.e prove that you are a good person.

But being kind and losing yourself in the service of others demands hard work – this is about being a good person. It requires you to put yourself aside and do things beyond your ego. And what better way to lose your ego than being in the service of others? If you want to do good – just focus on this, the good, will appear and the right type of results will show.

References:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/566.Paulo_Coelho

https://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Good-Person

https://psychcentral.com/health/how-do-you-know-if-you-are-a-good-person