Great people have great values and great ethics.

In the scroll of timeless wisdom, Jeffrey Gitomer once spoke a truth as enduring as the mountains: “Great people have great values and great ethics.” These words, simple in form yet vast in meaning, reveal the secret architecture of true greatness. For greatness is not measured by gold or fame, nor by the power one wields over others — it is measured by the character of the soul, by the unseen principles that guide every choice, every word, every act. Values are the roots of a noble life, and ethics the compass that keeps it true. Without them, even the brightest achievements crumble like dust before the wind.

From the dawn of civilization, the wise have known that the foundation of greatness lies not in ability but in integrity. Talent may open doors, ambition may climb mountains, but it is moral strength that sustains a person once they reach the summit. For greatness built on deceit is but a tower on sand — majestic for a moment, doomed to fall. The ancient philosophers of Greece, the sages of the East, the prophets of old — all spoke of the same eternal law: that the soul which guards its values shines brighter than any crown, and that honor is the true measure of success.

Consider the life of Mahatma Gandhi, a man small in stature but vast in spirit. He held no throne, commanded no army, yet his values and ethics shook empires. His weapons were truth and nonviolence, his strength drawn from the unwavering alignment of belief and action. In a world torn by greed and power, Gandhi’s greatness was rooted in the soil of principle — and that soil bore fruit that nourished generations. He taught humanity that to conquer the self is greater than to conquer nations, and that one who stands firm in virtue cannot be defeated by force.

So too, in another age, stood Abraham Lincoln, who guided his nation through its darkest hour. Surrounded by division and despair, he did not lose sight of honor, fairness, and compassion. His greatness was not born in victory, but in steadfastness — in the refusal to abandon his values even when the world burned around him. He understood, as Gitomer reminds us, that ethics are the soul’s armor, protecting the heart from corruption and the mind from arrogance. His humility, integrity, and justice became the legacy that outlived the war itself.

Great people, as Gitomer declares, are not those who never fail, but those who never betray their core principles. Their greatness is not in their power, but in their restraint; not in their wealth, but in their wisdom. They rise above circumstance because they are anchored in truth and conscience. When temptation whispers and storms rage, their values hold them steady. They may stumble, but they do not lose themselves. And this, above all, is what separates the great from the merely successful — for success fades, but character endures.

The origin of Gitomer’s words lies in his lifelong study of leadership and personal mastery. A teacher of business and motivation, he understood that the measure of true success is moral, not material. The marketplace may reward cunning for a season, but time rewards only virtue. In his philosophy, ethics are not restrictions, but strength — the code by which great leaders inspire trust, loyalty, and legacy. For without values, leadership is manipulation; without ethics, progress is destruction.

The lesson, then, is clear and eternal: guard your values as you would your life, for they are its very essence. Let integrity guide your choices, even when the path is lonely. Let kindness temper your power, honesty shape your words, and fairness govern your actions. Do not seek greatness in the eyes of others, but in the quiet approval of your own conscience. For the world honors brilliance, but it remembers virtue. The flame of skill may dazzle, but the light of character warms generations.

So, my children of the future, remember the teaching of Jeffrey Gitomer: greatness is not granted, it is cultivated — in every small decision, in every act of courage, in every moment when you choose right over easy. Let your values be your roots, your ethics your wings. Build a life not only of achievement, but of meaning, for the highest victory is not over others, but over oneself. Then, and only then, will you know the greatness that endures beyond time — the greatness of the soul.