Abiding By Your Code Of Honor

If you want to get anywhere in life, you'll need to have some basic elements in your code of honor. I took a vow many years ago and swore to uphold a code. To break the code means a certain death. Then again, these days, it seems to mean a deal with the Feds, relocation, and a book and movie deal with HBO. For what it's worth, those rats will have their day, they deserve to be put out of order.

Anyhow, my point is that those who follow the code will do better in life because they know who they are and are being true to themselves. They will live by their code at all times. Remember, when you live by a strict code of honor, you cannot break it at any time. Always obey your code or there is no point in having one.

Here are 5 laws that should be part of your code of honor.

LAW 1: Never break your code of honor
The first and most important law is that you may never break the code under any circumstance. You've figured out the rules of the game so follow them without fail.

LAW 2: Respect yourself
Your code of honor must be based on self-respect and respect of others that follow the same code. When you break the code, you disrespect yourself and all the men that live by it. If you are a police officer, you should always uphold the law. If you break the law, you are without honor and are sullying the men on the force that do respect the code. Mind you, I'm glad there are plenty of crooked cops out there, it makes that much easier for me to do business.

LAW 3: Respect fellow warriors
When you meet someone that is your "kind of guy," it is usually because he lives by the same code that you do. You may not realize this, but it happens more often than most think. This means to show respect when it is due.

Two boxers may talk trash and even hate each other. But if they fight 12 bloody rounds to a draw, they may still not like each other, but they will shake hands (or touch gloves), look each other in the eyes, and the respect they have for one another is obvious. Thus, they show a much stronger respect amongst themselves than they would to any "outsider." They understand what it means to live by their code of battle.

LAW 4: Respect the business
Sometimes the game goes your way and sometimes it beats you down, but at all times you should respect the game. To respect it means you will think clearly, and be able to work and win. If you take the game for granted, it'll clean you out faster than you can say "boo." If you don't take care of business, then business will take care of you. Don't ever forget that.

LAW 5: Death is honorable
Be willing to die for your code. My business was able to operate and grow strong because the men of honor (back in the day anyway) would take their punishment if they broke our code or if they got caught. They were willing to pay the price to live the life. They lived by the code in good times or bad.

If you have the choice of breaking the code or dying, then you should choose death. There is no life without honor and once you break your code, you have no honor and no life, which means you might as well be dead. Thus, if you are going to bite the bullet, do so with honor.

There you have it boys, a code of honor can be as simple or as complicated as you make it. Either way, use these 5 laws as the basis of your code and you'll be off to a good start.