Achieve Goals & Live a Happy Life: Essay Sample on Aristotle's Moral Virtue

Introduction

Aristotle definition of moral values is the nature to behave in the right ways and as a conveyer between opposite between extremes of imperfection and surplus which are vices or wrong. It is the likely hood to act in a defined way (Steutel, 2005). Moral virtue is learnt basically through practice and habit and not through instructions and reasoning. Aristotle states several attributes that can lead to a person having a great and happy life.

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I have several goals, and I want to be successful and productive so that I can be able to acquire the luxuries of life. My dream is to become a successful football player to get a good club that can pay me enough money to do side businesses. Football has a short career, and people retire early, and there is also the risk to injuries that can end a potential career. Having that in mind, I have enrolled in business classes that will help me in the knowledge to become an entrepreneur and a great manager. I have started by making sure that I have a perfect physical body, which I will attain by working out and eating proper meals.

Aristotle stated eleven virtues which are; courage, magnificence, temperance, liberality, kindness, truthfulness, patience, shame, friendliness, justice and witness, and they are essential in shaping a person and helping them have a happy life (Daigle,2006). In relation to my goals, the virtues that I have decided to follow, the ones that I think will help me achieve them are courage and magnanimity. These two virtues go well together as they control and motivate a person towards achieving his or her dreams(Daigle,2006).

The courage virtue means being able to take risks even with the knowledge of risks. It is the medium for recklessness and cowardice(Daigle,2006). Courage virtue helps a person to shed their fears and focus on achieving their goals no matter how hard or challenging it might seem. It also helps a person to be cautious and careful in whatever they are doing. This virtue will be of great help towards my success as it will help me to focus and evaluate myself.

The magnanimity virtue is being a person of a great heart and state of mind. It is the will to face danger and challenges by not being pettily minded (Daigle,2006). The actions are morally upright and honourable. One has to believe in his self-worth to attain greatness. It is the medium that is between a person not giving himself the required credit and having misleading glory. This virtue is essential towards achieving a goal. It puts a person in level. It helps one to know when a job is well done, when it is fair and when it is not good at all. It helps in motivating one's self and knowing when to reward yourself and when not to.

I will practice this two virtues during my training. I will use the courage virtue to perform the exercises that I viewed as too challenging to me. In the field, I will lead in the training by trying new ways to become better and face my fears in the field wholeheartedly. I will take the risk of lifting heavy weights and challenging the strongest men in the field. I will be courageous enough to try and eat healthy foods though they are not pleasing and refuse myself any other type of meal no matter how tempting it might get. With the magnanimity virtue, I will make sure that I stay focused on my daily exercises and make sure that I follow the routine that I set aside. I will do everything for my benefit, as well as help others that might want to join on my success program so that we can achieve greatness together.

After following these virtues for a week, I feel happier, more focused and stronger than before. I'm so glad because now my dreams look valid, I'm getting closer to achieving them by following my routine guided by these virtues even though there some little challenging and struggles here and there. The main is focusing on eating healthy while I have been used to fast foods. I have stretched my muscles too much at one point that I got injured, but it wasn't serious. Other than that, I'm coping, and with more time, I will be able to overcome all the challenges. I'm impacting positively to my teammates, and some have already joined my routine, and we are working together towards greatness.

My coach is also impressed with my changes, and he wants the whole team to copy my routine. I have learnt that one chooses who he wants to be, and the virtues help in making that person. The attributes have helped me focus on my dream, and that has changed me a lot. I'm spiritually, physically and emotionally stronger than before. The reason to be virtuous, according to Aristotle is that all humans are social and yearn for a good life (Daigle,2006).

References

Carr, D., & Steutel, J. (2005). Virtue ethics and moral education. Routledge.

Daigle, C. (2006). Nietzsche: Virtue Ethics... Virtue Politics?. Journal of Nietzsche Studies, 1-21.