The Brandt Principle is embodied by three tenets that every successful, joyful person I have encountered has lived by, whether consciously or not. I didn’t make up these tenets (you’ll recognize them—they are long-held principles), but they are three “simple rules” to live by—not always an easy task. And they comprise the foundation of what has allowed me to experience enormous joy in my own life. They are:
1. Practice What Your Preach: (aka “Walk The Talk”) This refers to a basic principle of integrity: do as you say—make your word your bond. Whatever you profess as the ethos you live by, make sure—to the best of your ability—that you are actively living that out through your choices and decisions every day. Consistency is key. And when you make a misstep, own it. Be accountable and make amends.
2. Embody The Golden Rule: (aka “Treat Others As You Would Yourself”) The Golden Rule expresses an ethic of reciprocity: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. In essence, it’s what people talk in terms of generating “good” vs. “bad” karma: “what goes around comes around.” Treating people with decency, respect and compassion, sets the stage for a more just and peaceful world.
SPECIAL NOTE: A beautiful corollary to this tenet—for those who tend to “over”-give and have issues around self-care—is that it also tasks you with treating yourself the way you treat others. So if you’re someone who always puts others first, sees the best in everyone, and forgives easily, that means giving yourself a lot of love, compassion and care too! You can think of it as giving “gold” to yourself!
3. Advocate Your Principles: (aka “Stand Up and Be Counted”) This tenet entreats us to “be the change we want to see in the world.” Advocating your principles in this sense doesn’t mean “spreading the word” or just upholding your values; actually promote your principles to 1st place in your decision-making and actions. Put them before comfort, popularity, and profit. So long as “everyone wins, and all are included,” your vision for the world is truly worth fighting for and will bring you a deep sense of fulfillment. This last principle represents a critical alignment within the Brandt Principle. It takes courage to stand up and speak out for what you believe in. The universe does not operate on the principles of fairness and justice all by itself; we as humans invented and yearn for those concepts to be embodied in daily life. We are not born with them; we have to learn them and live them. So actively expressing your principles--putting yourself and your values first--means you are modeling behavior for the rest of us to witness and learn from. It’s inviting and appealing to those who are ready to honor themselves and their own core principles.