The Road to Character

“Most of us would say that the eulogy virtues are more important than the résumé virtues, but I confess that for long stretches of my life I have spent time thinking about the latter than the former.” 

Brooks’ experiences are a cautionary tale: He explains that he wrote this book after recognizing how much time he has spent focusing on what he considers to be the wrong set of virtues.

“To nurture your Adam I career, it makes sense to cultivate your strengths. To nurture your Adam II moral core, it is necessary to confront your weaknesses.”

Using the model set forth by Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, Brooks describes the dichotomy he sets out to challenge with parable-like directness. We like to cultivate our strengths, but it is more important to attend to unpleasant truths.

“In [people who have built a strong inner character], at the end of this struggle, the climb to success has surrendered to the struggle to deepen the soul. After a life of seeking balance, Adam I bows down before Adam II. These are the people we are looking for.”

Brooks argues that strong inner character and moral compass are more essential to both personal and societal well-being than external reputation and sense of self-congratulation. We should seek individuals who exemplify the former qualities.