Why You Should Write Your Own Personal Constitution and Live by It
The following is adapted from Unfuck America by Mike Ritland.
No matter who they are or what hand they’ve been dealt in life, everyone can do something to help or serve others. If we want to see a better future, a better country, a better society, or even a better version of ourselves, then each of us must dedicate a portion of our time to be of service to others or to be a part of something that is bigger than ourselves.
There is a sense of purpose that comes from helping other people that is incredibly positive and beneficial. Not only will you be able to help others, but you will also gain confidence, you’ll feel grounded in a sense of purpose, and it will do absolute wonders for your mental health. And remember that you are an example to someone. Someone is looking at you, watching how you use your time. So be generous and do something for someone else; be part of something bigger than yourself.
I can’t tell you what that will be because it should be different for everyone. It will be driven by the hundreds of intangibles that make you who you are. It may be joining the Peace Corps or military, doing community service, volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, or church youth group. There are hundreds if not thousands of possibilities of things you can do. Pick the one you’re the most passionate about, the one that inspires you the most, or the one you feel will make the biggest impact in the world and then go and do it. What matters is that you do something bigger than you, something that is not about you, something that is for others.
You may think that you have nothing to offer, but everyone, and I mean everyone, can find some way to help their fellow man and make a positive impact on the world around them. And if we have more people willing to roll up their sleeves and get out there and help, we’d see a lot more solutions and a lot fewer problems in our world.
Write a Personal Constitution and Live by It
You alone have the power to shift your mentality, to care for your body, to be of service. All the conversations and discussions in the world will not change society.
Change will only occur when enough individuals like you and I take action — starting with our own minds, bodies, and choices.
If you want to live a life that matters, that stands for something, and that makes a difference, you need to set an aim and purpose for your life. As with any goal or business plan, you have to have an idea of where you’re going if you want to get there. And you can’t be vague about it.
That’s why it is my strong recommendation that you write up a personal constitution. Before you do this, I want you to take some time and give yourself a quiet space to think. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a person who exemplifies everything you believe a person ought to be. Someone who is the pinnacle of a strong example that others can follow. Someone filled with integrity. Someone who is the embodiment of your principles, beliefs, and morals. Then think of all of the elements that made up and created that character. Be specific, be detailed. Use these elements as the foundation to write your personal constitution, a document that you can live by and base your life upon. Write down a list of those principles, ideals, and moral codes, and then use it as a guide to order your life by. Your constitution should reflect your vision and values.
Don’t just aim for “being better,” aim with precision and strategy. Set personal metrics by which to measure whether or not you’re achieving the things you’ve set out to achieve. When you get clear on your aim in life, you make it tangible when you pen it with ink. You make it something you can feel, touch, and hold in your hand. It solidifies your purpose. It turns hopes and desires into goals and action.
It’s not a coincidence or accident that I call this a constitution. This nation was founded upon the bedrock principles of the United States Constitution. It’s the basis of our laws and government. The word constitution is defined as “a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed.” It’s a powerful word attached to a powerful document. It has formed, shaped, and guided our nation.
So write a constitution of your own and strive to live by it. Let it govern your choices. Let it be a benchmark by which you can measure yourself. Let it be something you fall back on, that you are guided by, something that brings you back to center when you go off course and reminds you of what matters when you get distracted. Let it be your lighthouse, your compass.
Our country is facing a lot of challenges right now. And we need individuals like you to have the courage to think independently, to live with sincerity and integrity, and to roll up their sleeves and contribute to the world around us. We each have a part to play and a path to take that is, and should be, different from one another. There are times when you may feel like you’re swimming upstream. You may feel insignificant or inconsequential in the grand scheme of life. But don’t give up.
Because your life, that individual thread that you’ve been given to weave alongside countless others, is what will create the tapestry of the next chapter in history. What will be on that tapestry and what we will be remembered for…
…is up to us.
For more information on American social issues, you can find Unfuck America on Amazon.
Mike Ritland is a former Navy SEAL and K9 trainer, three-time New York Times bestselling author, and speaker. He has been featured in The Washington Post, HuffPost, the New York Post, and Men’s Journal and has been interviewed by dozens of shows and affiliates, including 60 Minutes, ABC, CBS, C-SPAN, Fox News, NBC, and PBS.
He also hosts the raw, unfiltered, and wildly entertaining hit podcast Mike Drop, covering a wide range of topics from government, politics, and war to health, fitness, survival skills, and beyond. Filled with insightful dialogue from guests who actually know what the hell they are talking about, Mike Drop tolerates absolutely zero bullshit.
