- The Mind, Explored.
- Posts
- My New Favourite Poem
Rudyard Kipling (1865 - 1936) was a poetic story-teller.
In fact, he was the first English-language writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature and is still the youngest to have ever received the award at 41 years old.
I recently came across a poem of his on TikTok, which instantly became my new favourite. As the actor Michael Caine neatly puts, this poem “summarises what a (hu)man should be.”
Written in the form of fatherly advice to his son, Kipling delivers us a guide on how to navigate the challenges of life with wisdom and strong moral character.
With each challenge, our minds are put to the test: How will we interpret each moment? How will we respond? And, how does this define who we are?
Kipling answers these questions by capturing virtues that are essential for a fulfilling life. Below are 10 virtues that stood out to me, which I have colour coded with their corresponding lines in the poem.
Try to read the poem all the way through first, and then come back to find out which lines correspond to each virtue.
‘If—’ by Rudyard Kipling:
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
10 Virtues Explored in ‘If—’:
Self-belief: Trusting yourself, especially when others lose their trust in you, while also showing understanding and compassion for their doubts. This echoes a principle from Philosopher King, Marcus Aurelius: “Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.”
Resilience: Enduring difficult times without succumbing to them, such as when having to wait, being lied about, or being hated on. This resilience reflects the ‘Victorian stoicism’ that defined the era in which this poem was written.
Detachment: Pursuing ambitious dreams, while being able to let go and move on without dwelling on them, aligning with the Buddha’s teaching that “the root of suffering is attachment”.
Equanimity: Recognising that success and failure are neither good nor bad, but are equally important and equally as dangerous.
Accountability: Taking full responsibility for our choices without being anchored down by mistakes in the past.
Courage: Taking bold risks and picking ourselves up again with a smile on our faces when they don’t work out.
Willpower: Understanding that the strength of our human spirit is the most powerful asset we have.
Equality: Treating everyone with the same amount of respect, regardless of their status.
Independence: Valuing the input of others without depending on their validation or being hurt by their criticism.
Appreciation: Making the most of every minute by not wasting even a second.
Self-Reflection:
Which line stood out most to you? Which virtue does this represent? Perhaps it’s one worth being extra mindful of.
Written by Dr Manu Sidhu 🩺
What rating would you give this article?Your feedback helps me give you higher quality content 🤝 |
Feel free to email back with any thoughts, questions, or more detailed feedback.
If this article resonated with you, the best way for you to support is by sharing it with others who may be interested.
If this article has been forwarded to you, someone who knows you well believes you may be interested in mind-related content.
To receive emails with articles like this, subscribe here.
Disclaimer:
The Mind, Explored. is for informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information in this newsletter or materials linked from this newsletter is at the user’s own risk. The content of this newsletter is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of health care professionals for any such conditions.
Reply