The choice to live virtuously is a radical departure from humanity’s customary motivation based on fear, survival, competition and might. Since the dawn of civilization, humanity has slowly evolved from barbaric modes of relating toward more respectful, ethical and loving approaches.

Polarized power struggles are increasingly surrendering to caring, the spirit of community and a regard for the common good. This evolution has speeded up tremendously in the last one hundred years, and is now poised for a powerful culmination, in which unprecedented individual and collective transmutation is occurring.

Our efforts are needed, however, to catalyze and birth this transmutation. We are the stewards of the collective consciousness, and as change agents we must do our part by willingly, consciously and consistently choosing and behaving toward positive outcomes, the key of which is found in the simple art of virtue.

Living virtuously in this world is simple, yet not initially easy. The nearness of our virtue hovers in the realm of the heart. Virtue is what Truth would do. Like truth, virtue is transcendent, ageless, changeless, eternal. In the life of the soul, which the ego knows not, virtue is what is. There are no other choices… no struggles between that which is virtuous and that which is not. Living virtuously is far more a matter of being than of doing.

The decision to live virtuously is thus not an act of obedience to authority, a code of behavior or enacted law. Nor is it a valorous struggle to choose the good over the convenient. Rather, it is a decision to live in alignment with the soul, with Truth, with the principles of love. This decision often begins during a profoundly humble moment in which we suddenly comprehend the consequence of living without complete integrity. From this honest reflection, we recognize the possibility of a greater life, lived with integrity, excellence, responsibility, righteousness and goodness, in harmony with all life processes.

I once heard that the average self-made millionaire fails 3.2 times before truly understanding what is required for financial success. This implies that each situation catalyzed honest, humble reflection on how—and how not—to strategize, relate and conduct business.

Indeed, each loss can bring one closer to the knowledge, wisdom and humility needed to change what doesn’t work into what does, or drop it altogether if it has no positive value. Tony Robbins, the successful motivational guru, says, “Repetition is the mother of success.”

The following description of Jesus’s life may or may not be completely accurate. Yet, for the sake of illustration, it serves as an excellent example of what is needed to replace dominant negative polarity expectations and pressures with the choice to live virtuously.

We will see that this is possible only through the absolute integrity of not efforting to do the expected, but instead to live from the experience of one’s own unique context, and along one’s own evolutionary continuum. One begins to live in allegiance to inner truth rather than external influences.

Imagine this: As the eldest son, Jesus had been head of his deceased father’s household, in accordance with Jewish tradition and law. He fulfilled this responsibility impeccably for many years, despite a strong inner call to serve, as well as the lure of many invitations to study, travel and teach. While his decision to care for his family reflected social expectations and Jewish law, it accorded with his personal sense of integrity, compassion, love and service.

When he reached the point in his life when he knew he would soon be “doing his Father’s work,” he retreated to Mount Herman for reflection, reorientation and preparation. Every detail of his transition had to be carefully considered, planned and timed. To do “his Father’s work”, he knew he must sacrifice his traditional role and responsibilities, even though he knew his beloved family would never understand. He knew that he must pass his family responsibilities to his younger brother, to maintain stability in the lives of his mother and siblings.

As his priorities shifted from a worldly focus to a wholly spiritual focus, he realized he had certain decisions to make. The purpose of his Mount Herman seclusion was to determine how to conduct himself as a spiritual teacher, as one “in the world but not of it.” These decisions were agreements—a covenant—with himself and with God; agreements established to uphold the sustenance and integrity of his family while at the same time supporting the intention of his spiritual mission to seed spiritual strength into humanity’s polarized consciousness.

Jesus was well aware that the prevailing polarized consciousness would be only minimally able to comprehend his advanced teachings. He understood the potency of teaching by example. Therefore he knew that how he chose to live in this world must be an even more compelling teaching than the words he spoke. His words must always be enacted through his actions. He must “walk his talk”.

Mere words are hollow, regardless of who speaks them or who hears them. The repeated actions of our lives, when based on positive polarity values, ethics and principles, are the most potent endowments we can give to ourselves, others, and to life itself. This begins with the choice to live virtuously, in alignment with inner truth, as the vehicle for certain freedom.