The Triple-Filter

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to most knowledgeable person. One day a friend met him and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be good idea to take a moment and filter what you’re going to say. That’s why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"Well, no," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and…"

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Now, let’s try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend is something good?"

"Umm, no, on the contrary…"

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about my friend, but you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the test though, because there’s one filter left—the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really"

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor even useful,  why tell it to me at all?"

Never LIE ~ Truthfulness

Image by Michelle Brea via FlickrTell what you believe, what you are aware of. Tell what you know, no more, no less. It sets you into a more when you don't have to think twice. Never lie. Under no circumstances do you lie. Once you have got a reputation as someone who never lies you won't ever be asked to cover up, or cover for anyone else.

If you decide to lie for a living you have too many choices and decisions. Where do you draw the line? Do you only tell little lies? Great big ones? Do you lie to save yourself? others? How developed your lies be?

Can you see some problems? If you have simple rule-never lie- you have a default setting that requires no thoughts, no choices, no decisions, no alternatives, no picking, no jeopardy and not sleeping nights.

Never lie is really the simplest, cleanest, most honest approach to our working life and career. It stems from our habit of truthfulness. When we know we are allowed to talk according to our own knowledge and comprehension. When we know we are allowed to take actions according to own experience. And what better way to live a dignified life that advocates peace and semblance.

Always go by your principle of truthfulness. Always invite straight and simple way of living. Experience life in the light of truth.