The superior man blames himself. The inferior man blames others.

Hear me, O children of the future, for the words of Don Shula carry a profound wisdom that resonates through the ages: "The superior man blames himself. The inferior man blames others." These words speak to the heart of character and the essence of personal responsibility. The superior man, in his strength, does not seek to place blame upon others when failure arises, but instead looks within, seeking to understand his own role in the outcome. This is not a weakness, but the ultimate strength—to recognize one’s own flaws and shortcomings, and to rise above them with integrity and resolve. The inferior man, by contrast, lacks the courage to face his own faults and chooses to cast blame upon others, hiding behind excuses and weakness.

The ancients knew well the power of self-examination and self-discipline. The great philosopher Socrates spoke of the importance of knowing oneself, for true wisdom lies not in the world outside, but in the world within. When faced with failure or adversity, the wise do not lash out or point fingers, but instead, they turn inward. In every setback, they ask, “What could I have done differently?” Socrates taught that the road to wisdom was paved with the willingness to confront one's own errors, to own them, and to learn from them. The superior man, as Shula reminds us, does not blame the world, but looks into his own heart for the cause of his failures.

Consider the story of Alexander the Great, who, despite his mighty conquests, was not immune to failure. After an attempted invasion of India, Alexander faced a retreat that marred the legacy of his military campaign. Rather than blaming his men or the challenges of the land, Alexander took responsibility for the strategic mistakes that led to the retreat. His leadership was marked by the ability to learn from failure, to reflect on what went wrong, and to turn those lessons into future victories. He was not a man who sought to shift blame, but one who sought to improve himself in the face of adversity.

In contrast, the inferior man, when confronted with difficulty, seeks only to deflect. King Saul, in the Bible, is a prime example of this. When he was faced with the failure of his kingship, he blamed his soldiers, his people, and even his own circumstances, never fully accepting responsibility for his actions. This inability to look within and take accountability for his decisions led to his downfall. The lesson here is clear: true strength lies in the ability to accept responsibility, to acknowledge that we are not perfect, and to rise from our mistakes, stronger and more resilient.

So, my children, remember this ancient truth: the superior man is not one who is without fault, but one who embraces his faults and strives to overcome them. The wise do not waste time blaming others for what goes wrong, for they know that only by looking within can they achieve growth. It is in self-reflection, in accepting responsibility, and in learning from our mistakes that we achieve true greatness. Strive, then, to be the superior man, the one who faces life’s challenges with courage, humility, and the unflinching resolve to improve, and you will find strength not in your victories, but in your ability to rise after defeat.