“High-mindedness is moderation in honour; excess is vanity, deficiency is little-mindedness.”
— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book II, Chapter 7
🔍 Core Idea
Honor is your smartphone’s screen brightness — max setting (✨ vanity) blinds others, minimum (🌑 little-mindedness) hides your worth. Ethical ambition works like adaptive display: shine when leading group projects, dim when crediting teammates.
❗ Why This Matters Today
🏆 Academic Honors
Vanity: Brag about 4.0 GPA → isolate peers 🚫
Little-mindedness: Hide achievements → miss scholarships 🚫
Golden Mean: Share 2 study hacks → credit tutors → build respected leadership.
📱 Social Media Influence
Vanity: Post “Top 1% talent” captions → lose followers 🚫
Little-mindedness: Never share skills → waste potential 🚫
Golden Mean: Teach 1 free skill/week → tag mentors → grow authentic community.
🌍 Community Service
Vanity: Demand praise for volunteering → seem selfish 🚫
Little-mindedness: Skip recognition → discourage others 🚫
Golden Mean: List team efforts → spotlight unsung heroes → fuel collective pride.
🚀 Action Steps
- Honor Calibration App
Use Strides to track:
“Weekly achievements → % shared vs % kept private” - 21-Day Ambition Detox
- Week 1: Delete 3 boastful posts → write 3 gratitude notes
- Week 2: Claim 3 quiet wins (e.g., “I organized the food drive”)
- Pride Accountability Pods
Form 4-person teams → exchange monthly “honor reports” → award Most Balanced Leader.