How to Create Your Own Code

One of the greatest exercises which I’ve ever undertaken has been to create my own code of ethics.  Here, from my years of dedication, I will summaries the most constructive elements which I have used in creating a document that encapsulates my personal philosophy.  This will be broken down into steps which may be implemented in any order.

Step 1.)  Decide what you want to be and learn how to work towards that. 

Step 2.)  Pick out a spirit animal for your code of ethics.

Step 3.)  Identify necessary skills which will aid your attempt at becoming what you want.  Learn each of the skills one at a time. 

Step 4.)  Study a philosopher whom you wish to align your thinking and ideology with.

Step 5.)  Revise, revise, revise.

When I set out to develop my own code, I wanted to be a warrior.  My code was to be part of a larger project of creating my own martial art for which I had already invented a strike.  Study of Bushido ethics served as the starting point for my work towards developing a strong warrior ethic.

The spirit animal of my code is the king snake.  When I chose this as my spirit animal I was psychotic; as a result I do not fully remember how I came to choose this animal.  But it makes my code much more awesome.

Identifying the necessary skills for being a warrior did not come without first picking a philosopher whose teachings I wanted to implement into my ethic.  I chose Miyamoto Musashi who inspired me to learn strategy, writing, and martial arts.  Until I had cultivated adequate skill in all of these disciplines the process of creating a code mystified me.  I studied chess for a year and a half and sustained improvement in my writing for about three years.  Martial arts is my area of the least skill development in my warrior toolbox in which I have only moderate amounts of skill.

My code of ethics is a fusion of both warrior and educational philosophies.  Study of military science and martial philosophy were at the forefront of this process of creating a code.  But, eventually, I came to realize that self-education was dominant in my life.  I studied and wrote on self-education for a column at an online magazine.  Writing on self-education motivated me to study educational philosophy.  And I decided that my ethic would have to incorporate life-long learning as an integral part of my ideology.

Here is my code to as an example from which you may develop your own ethic:

Virtues of the Warrior Scholar: Humility, Bravery, Frugality, Loyalty, Patience, Honesty, and Courage

Source of Sustenance for the Warrior Scholar: Life-long learning

Evils That Will Lead One Astray: Envy, Greed, Haste, Pride, Timidity, Anger, Disrespect, and Selfishness

Ideal of the Warrior Scholar:  To free yourself of worldly things

Rule of the Warrior Scholar:  Break the rules

Joys of the Warrior Scholar: Vicissitude, Friendship, and Skillfulness

Duty of The Full-Fledged King Snake:  Live simply—train in the martial arts—and persist in following a path of intellectual, moral, and spiritual cultivation.