7-Point Creed

As usual, I'm behind.
I'm behind in my housework, I'm behind in my bills and I'm behind in school work. You know what they say about the best-laid plans...errr, right? Well, honestly, I don't know what they say, but I know it's something about how having the best plans does not always guarantee the results you expect.
But, it is what it is, so onward and upward!

John Wooden is known as being one of the greatest coaches of all time; he is one of my personal heroes, and you know I don't have many.
One of the things he is known for in his coaching and in his life, is the 7-Point Creed. See quote below:

John Wooden's Seven Point Creed,[1] given to him by his father Joshua upon his graduation from grammar school:

* Be true to yourself.
* Make each day your masterpiece.
* Help others.
* Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
* Make friendship a fine art.
* Build a shelter against a rainy day.
* Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.


If you don't know who John Wooden is, look him up--his story is quite remarkable. As I said, I deeply admire him and the things he has accomplished as a coach and as a human being. As you know, I don't say that about very many people.
In any case, your task for this week is to come up with your own 7-Point Creed and share it here. I know that I am asking a lot of you. I know that this is not something you can do in two days. And this is why I am extending the deadline until Friday night. You will really need to put a lot of thought into this. And because you are, you can be sure that this is not as assignment that will stand on its own; you will see this, in some way, again in the future.

If coming up with your creed proves difficult,ask yourself these questions to help you along:

What do I value?
What are my morals?
How do I want to be perceived by others?
What do I want my legacy to be?
What have I learned in my life?
What else do I want to learn?

Now, I certainly don't want you to answer those questions and consider that to be your creed. Remember, a creed is a sort of guideline for living, but it is also completely subjective. Look at Wooden's creed again. The statements there are kind of ambiguous and can be open to interpretation, don't you think? So, when you are doing this, try to keep that in mind. However, it is precisely BECAUSE the statements are ambiguous that you will have to explain what you mean by them, what they mean to you and why you chose them. Always the why.
What you are basically doing is creating a blueprint by which you can live your life. YOUR life. Nobody else's.
After all, who is more important than you?
substantive response/50pts

"I Am Whatever You Say I Am..."

Ahhh...the unwitting brilliance of Eminem. He's no Lupe or Jay-Z, but although, not my favorite rapper, I do honor him as a poet. His ideas are always worthwhile, and although many find his...verbiage, distasteful, offensive or unintelligent, I sort of welcome his viewpoints and his unique expressive take on the world at large. And the song the title references is pretty cool, so...
How many times have you said to yourself, and for that matter, to anyone who would listen--"I don't care what anyone else thinks...". I know I've said it at least once in the past month! In our heart of hearts, though, do we really believe that?
It seems an age-old question, but it is one that may not have just one answer: to what extent do other people's perceptions of you have an impact on the decisions you make?
Peer pressure, parental pressure, self-imposed pressure, all these outside, or inside, forces have the potential to make you act, or react, in ways that you normally might not if never exposed to those influences. My question is: Why? Why do we care? Why is it important? Why do other people's perceptions or expectations of who we are have so much of an influence on us? Or do they? Be honest with yourself when you answer. After all, it's just us.
(400 words/55pts)