Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words.
Be careful of your words, for your words become your deeds.
Be careful of your deeds, for your deeds become your habits.
Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character.
Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny.
Words That Gently Sink In
These words come from Mother Teresa, who devoted her life to helping those suffering from poverty and illness. She was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her work.
The repeated rhythm of “Be careful” and “become,” the way the meaning flows from one line to the next — from thought, all the way to destiny — left a deep impression on me when I first heard it.
We often think of character as something we’re born with, and destiny as something beyond our control. But this quote tells a different story. It reminds us that our future is shaped by the words we speak and the actions we take — and those, in turn, are born from the thoughts we carry each day.
Had I come across these words in my youth, I might have brushed them aside and forgotten them. Even if I understood the meaning, I don’t think I would have grasped the deeper truth. But I happened to hear them later in life — at a time when I had experienced enough to let them really sink in. They entered my heart quietly, and stayed.
At the same time, I remember feeling a small pang of pain, as I looked back on the path I had walked.
Our thoughts are where it all begins — the invisible foundation that shapes our lives.
And our words, no matter how we try to dress them up, will always reveal the heart behind them.
This quote from Mother Teresa gave me a quiet moment to pause and reflect on who I am today… and who I’ve been until now.
A Life Lived with Love
Let me also share a bit about Mother Teresa as a person.
Mother Teresa was born in 1910, in what is now North Macedonia. Raised in a devout Catholic family, she felt a calling to religious life at the age of 18 and joined a convent in Ireland.
Her birth name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu.
The name “Teresa” was the religious name she chose when she became a nun — inspired by Thérèse of Lisieux, a French nun known for her quiet devotion to “doing small things with great love.” Mother Teresa deeply resonated with this way of living.
She later moved to Calcutta, India, and began teaching at a school. There, she witnessed the harsh realities faced by the poor. She chose to leave her teaching position and dedicate herself to serving the people who needed help the most.
She founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious order that cared for the sick, the orphaned, and the homeless.
Her sincere work eventually spread across the world, gaining international recognition. Then, she received the Nobel Peace Prize. These were her words at the time.
I am unworthy. I accept the award in the name of the poor.
She passed away in 1997. In 2016, she was declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
It is better to love than to be loved.
It is better to understand than to be understood.
