Philosophy

Is My Motive Virtuous or Selfish?

If we want to realize an ambitious dream, we must ask ourselves, "Are our motives virtuous?" That is, we must judge on our own whether our motive is good or bad.

Virtue is a universal good that everyone agrees on. It does not benefit just one person and is not aimed at just making a person look good. Rather, it is something that everyone would describe as being altruistic and acceptable. In carrying out our work, it is important to ask if there is any "selfish motive." We must be on guard so that our work does not revolve around self-centered aims.

If our motive is virtuous and unselfish, the outcome is obvious: we are certain to succeed.