It takes courage, but...

We might look at someone and think that they are doing wrong things, yet they seem happier and more fulfilled. Meanwhile, we do nothing wrong, yet we feel miserable.

If this thought ever comes to your mind, then you are mistaken—not only in your judgment but also in lacking the courage to act wrongly.

That “bad” person at least had the courage to take risks. They took action, and now they reap the rewards. Courage is always rewarded—that’s just how it works.

But if you find the fruits of wrongdoing tempting, yet justify your inaction as virtue, then you are not only wrong but also weak.

There is no morality in simply not doing wrong. Being harmless does not mean you are good—it just means you are weak. If given power, you might misuse it. True goodness comes from strength: having the power to do wrong but choosing not to. And this is far more fulfilling than enjoying the short-lived rewards of wrongdoing.

It takes courage to do bad things, but it takes even more courage to do the right thing.

We should never envy those who seem successful through "wrong ways." Instead, we should pity them for their weakness, even as we acknowledge their willingness to take risks.

The right path is hard—there is no doubt about that. That’s why so few people take it.

So ask yourself: Are you truly good, or is your goodness just weakness in disguise?