There once was a man who was so lazy, he thought he might like to simply stand in one place—like a tree. He thought about being a tree so much that he stated to talk about it; he told everyone that his life would be so much easier if he were a tree. He talked about it so much that one day; he started to act like a tree. He just stood around all day, losing interest in doing or saying much of anything. Before long, his actions became a habit; he couldn’t stop acting like a tree. Then, eventually people began to treat him like a tree; passing right by him, occasionally cooling themselves under the shade of his arms on a hot day.

The moral of this story? Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.