The Lifelong Journey Towards Character
In the 1890 landmark textbook, The Principles of Psychology, philosopher and founding father of modern psychology, William James, made a bold claim. He stated, “In most of us, by the age of thirty, the character has set like plaster, and will never soften again.” At last week’s closing ceremonies, I took immense pride in our boys' impressive character display. However, as a school dedicated to this mission, we know that the journey toward character is a lifelong pursuit.
In fact, current research suggests that character skills are anything but fixed; rather, they are malleable, pliable, and shapable, and it is never too late to build them.
This finding provides an important lesson for all of us, but one that is particularly timely for our graduating class. The Class of ‘24 graduation ceremony on June 14 was an opportunity to celebrate each young man's character achievement at this stage of his educational journey and remind him that while this is one important step, his journey is by no means over. Their travels along this path will only get more challenging in an increasingly volatile, unpredictable, complex, and ambiguous world. The good news is that their Crescent education has given them a strong foundation, and the Crescent Brotherhood will always be with them as they chart their path forward.
This finding provides an important lesson for all of us, but one that is particularly timely for our graduating class. The Class of ‘24 graduation ceremony on June 14 was an opportunity to celebrate each young man's character achievement at this stage of his educational journey and remind him that while this is one important step, his journey is by no means over. Their travels along this path will only get more challenging in an increasingly volatile, unpredictable, complex, and ambiguous world. The good news is that their Crescent education has given them a strong foundation, and the Crescent Brotherhood will always be with them as they chart their path forward.
In his recent book, Hidden Potential, organizational psychologist Adam Grant unpacks the critical importance of character skills for people to realize their unique promise. However, he argues that knowing the principled thing to do doesn’t necessarily mean we will do it, particularly under pressure. It’s easy to be well-intentioned when life is going well, but it is something else entirely when it isn’t. A life of character is not about being perfect; it is about building the right habits, giving it our all repeatedly, getting up after setbacks, and going at it again. This constant pursuit of excellence versus perfection is something our boys have practiced during their time here at Crescent and I hope will serve them well on their path to a life of character.
Every graduation ceremony reminds me of my own and the realization that it is not just about the character qualities our grads have today but what they will do with them and how far these will take them. Today, intellect alone is not enough. Machines are automating many of the technical skills humans once held in abundance, yet relational, emotional, and social skills, such as character, are becoming premium and will be increasingly vital to master. As such, a Crescent education is well worth the effort because today, more than ever, the world needs good men.
Have a great summer.
Veritate stamus et crescimus.
