Individuals, not organizations or governments, have the power to create change. Everyone has the potential to make a difference.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Individual Action: Don't wait for societal change; start with yourself.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Personal Responsibility: Take initiative and set an example for others.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Community Engagement: Get involved in local humanitarian efforts.</li></ul>

Empower Individuals

Every morning at 5:30 a.m., the Dalai Lama listens to the news, reminding himself of the world's violence and cruelty. He believes this stems from a lack of compassionate moral responsibility.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Inner Shift: Develop compassion and moral responsibility to counter negative emotions.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Daily Practices: Simple steps like meditation can help you manage your mind and heart.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Positive Impact: A force for good starts with individuals acting from a place of compassion.</li></ul>

Compassionate Moral Responsibility

Our obsession with profit has harmed the planet. The Dalai Lama, a staunch advocate for environmental protection, believes we must adopt sustainable practices to protect our only home. He encourages us to consider the planet's long-term health over short-term gains.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Ecological Responsibility: Reduce waste and pollution and use resources wisely.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Positive Impact: Track and increase your positive environmental actions.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Future Focus: Prioritize the long-term health of the planet over short-term gains.</li></ul>

Protect Our Planet

In a world filled with negative news, it is crucial to keep a long-term perspective and recognize humanity's progress. Change takes time, but we are moving closer to a better future with each step toward compassion and moral responsibility.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Historical Progress: Reflect on how former enemies have become allies over time.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Media Balance: Seek out and spread positive news to counteract the focus on negativity.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Optimism: Believe in the potential for continued improvement and work towards it.</li></ul>

Maintain a Long-Term Perspective

"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."

"Feelings are just visitors. Let them come and go."

"Compassion is the basis of morality."

The Dalai Lama advocates for moral responsibility in public life through fairness, transparency, and accountability.<ul><li>Treat Everyone Equally: Ensure justice and fairness in all actions.</li><li>Honesty: Maintain transparency in decisions and actions.</li><li>Responsibility: Be accountable for mistakes and strive to rectify them.</li></ul>

Practice Fairness, Transparency, and Accountability

"Justice cannot be for one side alone but must be for both."

"A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business."

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

"The Earth does not belong to us; we belong to the Earth."

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

"Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind."

Compassion is inherent in all of us, beyond religious teachings. It is rooted in our biological makeup and essential for our well-being.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Biological Roots: Compassion is spontaneous, like a parent's care for their child.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Health Benefits: Positive emotions boost immune strength and reduce heart disease risk.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Psychological Needs: We seek comfort and belonging through affection and compassion.</li></ul>

Cultivate Compassion

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."

The Dalai Lama envisions an economy blending entrepreneurial spirit with social responsibility, addressing the shortcomings of both capitalism and socialism.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Moral Compassion: Implement economic systems with compassion and social responsibility.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Supportive Enterprises: Promote companies that balance profit with positive social impact.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Wealth Distribution: Advocate for systems that reduce inequality and support the underprivileged.</li></ul>

Advocate for a Compassionate Economy

The Dalai Lama mastered his emotions through reflection and mindfulness. This involves taking a step back and considering the consequences of your actions.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Stay Calm: Replace negative emotions with love, compassion, and forgiveness.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Mindfulness: Recognize and understand your emotions to channel them positively.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Control, Don't Suppress: Acknowledge your feelings without letting them control you.</li></ul>

Reflect on Emotional Responses

The Dalai Lama believes that science and religion can complement each other, enhancing our understanding of reality and improving our lives.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Mutual Strengths: Science offers wide-reaching insights, while religion provides moral guidance.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Scientific Validation: Religious practices like meditation have scientifically proven benefits.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Collaborative Approach: Integrating science and spirituality can address complex issues.</li></ul>

Integrate Science and Religion

Modern schooling should prioritize emotional and moral education alongside academic success.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Mind Training: Improve concentration, emotional regulation, and empathy.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Compassionate Values: Teach children the importance of compassion and ethical behavior.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Holistic Development: Equip future leaders with the skills to create a kinder world.</li></ul>

Foster Education of the Heart

The power for change lies with individuals who shift from self-interest and negativity to compassion and positive action.Breathe deeply to eliminate fear and anxiety. Next time you need to calm down, take a deep breath, hold it for two or three seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat five to ten times, using mental cues like "in" and "out" or imagining tension draining from your body."Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts." - Thich Nhat Hanh

Actionable Advice

Watching the evening news makes it easy to feel overwhelmed by the world's conflicts and misery. According to the Dalai Lama, these problems stem from a lack of compassion and moral responsibility. This article explores his vision for a more compassionate world and how we can all become a force for good.

For more than half a century, in such books as The Art of Happiness and The Dalai Lama’s Little Book of Inner Peace, the Dalai Lama has guided us along the path to compassion and taught us how to improve our inner lives. In A Force for Good, with the help of his longtime friend Daniel Goleman, the New York Times bestselling author of Emotional Intelligence, the Dalai Lama explains how to turn our compassionate energy outward. This revelatory and inspiring work provides a singular vision for transforming the world in practical and positive ways.   Much more than just the most prominent exponent of Tibetan Buddhism, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama is also a futurist who possesses a profound understanding of current events and a remarkable canniness for modern social issues. When he takes the stage worldwide, people listen. A Force for Good combines the central concepts of the Dalai Lama, empirical evidence that supports them, and true stories of people who are putting his ideas into action—showing how harnessing positive energies and directing them outward has lasting and meaningful effects. Goleman details the science of compassion and how this singular guiding motivation has the power to   • break such destructive social forces as corruption, collusion, and bias • heal the planet by refocusing our concerns toward our impact on the systems that support all life • reverse the tendency toward systemic inequity through transparency and accountability • replace violence with dialogue • counter us-and-them thinking by recognizing human oneness • create new economic systems that work for everyone, not just the powerful and rich • design schooling that teaches empathy, self-mastery, and ethics   Millions of people have turned to the Dalai Lama for his unparalleled insight into living happier, more purposeful lives. Now, when the world needs his guidance more than ever, he shows how every compassion-driven human act—no matter how small—is integral for a more peaceful, harmonious world, building a force for a better future.   Revelatory, motivating, and highly persuasive, A Force for Good is arguably the most important work from one of the world’s most influential spiritual and political figures. Praise for A Force for Good   “A Force for Good offers ideas that every individual can work with and build on, ranging from things that help the environment to things that help the less fortunate. [It’s] a long-range, global plan from a brilliant futuristic thinker, so this is a book that can be of value to any human living on Earth. When you’re ready for a jolt of optimism, pick up this book.”—Pop Culture Nerd   “Far from being a self-help book, this examines specific ideas espoused by the Dalai Lama, such as emotional hygiene, compassionate economy, and education of the heart that can make the world a better place. An optimistic and thoughtful primer with practical applications.”—Booklist

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Author of Emotional Intelligence and psychologist Daniel Goleman has transformed the way the world educates children, relates to family and friends, and conducts business. The Wall Street Journal ranked him one of the 10 most influential business thinkers. Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence was on The New York Times best sellers list for a year-and-a-half. Named one of the 25 "Most Influential Business Management Books" by TIME, it has been translated into 40 languages. The Harvard Business Review called emotional intelligence (EI) “a revolutionary, paradigm-shattering idea.”  Goleman’s new book, Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence, argues that attention — a fundamental mental ability for success — has come under siege.

ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER

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