We all like to think we’re good people. But are we really? Or are we just people who haven’t been given the chance to be bad yet?

That’s the thing my dad used to say: “People are how they are, and people are where they should be.” And as harsh as it sounded, he was right. Because most of the ugliness in the world isn’t random—it’s self-inflicted. There are very few tragedies. Doesn’t mean you don’t help or push people down, no, not at all, but many of us are where we put ourselves.

The truth is, people are as good as their options.

When life corners you, when you lose comfort, when the easy choices disappear—that’s when your character shows. And whether it’s in art, politics, or just being human, the same law applies:
What you do when you can’t do much… says everything.

As artists, we constantly face limits—time, money, doubt. But those limits don’t define us. How we respond to them does.

So ask yourself this week:
What options can I improve? What choices am I proud of?
And which ones am I pretending I don’t have?

Because the truth is—being good is easy when it’s easy.
The real test is being good when it’s not.

MM 34 - Being Better than your Options