I’m always looking for quotes to share with my kids. I found this one from Dear Abby, the famed advice columnist, and it resonated:

“This is maturity: to be able to stick with a job until it is finished, to do one’s duty without being supervised, to be able to carry money without spending it, and to be able to bear an injustice without wanting to get even.”

Sticking with a job until it is done takes perseverance. You have to be able to bounce when things slow down. Finishing your job takes character.

Working without supervision demonstrates accountability. You want to be known as a person who does what he or she is assigned – every time, without fail. It builds trust.

Carrying money without spending it means you are a good steward. It means you can look ahead, plan for better opportunities and be trusted to invest.

Bearing an injustice means you have the humility to turn a cheek, the insight to seek understanding, and the trust in the process of life’s ups and downs. You know that getting even isn’t really getting even; it just makes things worse.

Mature people, mature teams get things right. Truth wins. Facts govern. As a rule, you won’t regret the mature response.

-Howe Q Wallace Jr