But what of the less obvious of these behaviors? What of the aspects of daily life that are not generally seen, overtly recognized or otherwise reinforced? These can be equally important—crucial even—for lives of integrity and productivity.

Do thoughts and self-regard remain humble in the wake of praise? Is gratitude present no matter how hard the work, how deserving the reward? Is conduct that recognizes and embraces others a natural part of every day, of each interaction?

These are among the keys to lives that make a meaningful difference, not spare behaviors that offer little by way of concrete contributions. On the contrary, those aspects of life that draw little attention can be among the most gratifying.

What we do when no one is looking can be far more revealing than when the cameras are turned on, the people are watching, the actions are scrutinized. Ultimately, everything is uncovered and laid bare; how we account for ourselves can either be a source of stress or peace. Why not simply choose the latter?

The consequences are invariably rewarding.

What happens after you get laid off from that desk job, the one that was doable and steady but never all that exciting? Or perhaps you just had your fill of getting the morning coffee, going in to the office each day, fulfilling your responsibilities with efficiency if not much enthusiasm, and eagerly awaiting that lifeline and timeline du jour: 5 o’clock.

To be able to turn a static life into one of stimulation and achievement is not an easy leap, and often requires courage to live with the resulting uncertainty. But provided that health is not an issue (a circumstance never to be taken for granted, especially among the younger generation to whom death is a mere mask), why not use the layoff notice or cubicle boredom as a springboard? Why not make the jump into something that enhances, that enables a real contribution rather than the contrition that often accompanies the status quo?

Yes of course, there are many office jobs that provide creativity and camaraderie, paychecks and perks, benefits and brainstorms. By all means, go with them and make the most of the resulting opportunities that can be both plentiful and tangible.

But for those who fall within the elevator’s lower floors, take heed and hope. Press the buttons of your personal enthusiasms. Watch the double doors open and walk confidently outside.

There is kaleidoscopic life after that office job.

Credit-card companies, for example, began peddling Gold cards in the 1980s as a way to distinguish the truly elite from the merely creditworthy. The 1990s brought Platinum cards. The 2000s even saw Titanium cards. Will the 2010s offer a Palladium card? Can a Rhodium card be far behind? And will an Iridium card grant to access to Mars, having bought everything else our earthly life could imagine?

Just once I’d like to open my mail and receive a solicitation for an Aluminum card. To be sure, credit cards can be exceptionally useful, even indispensable in some quarters, but they are a tool, not an end. Security manifests itself in many ways, financial security reasonably among them, but as we cannot take it with us, does it make sense to devote lives to its accumulation at the expense of more lasting achievements and contributions, from children and families to communities and social innovation?

Humility and gratitude are the ideal foils to mercenary behavior. Sure, the stained glass in your home’s solarium is stunning, the oceanfront condominium glorious, the Mercedes 700-series a sanctuary, the five-star restaurants indulgent…. But set up a foundation, work for a nonprofit, raise families with integrity to the core—then discover the true meaning of precious mettle.

So that knowledge and $6 will get you a cup of Starbucks, right? But add some vanilla and cinnamon in the form of what you really believe in and watch the price come down while your cup runneth over. This isn’t some pithy statement borne of over-caffeinated wishful thinking, but a universal truism that remains surprisingly lacking across industries and businesses both large and small.

Yet the contrary indicators abound. I was in Whole Foods last week and observed a young bagger in his 20s carry out his repetitive task with such enthusiasm and efficiency that I literally wanted to hire him on the spot. I gave Matt my card and asked him to check in with me in a few months.

At a Starbucks just outside of Philadelphia where I sometimes have informal business meetings, I’ve been struck with barista Vanessa’s clear dedication and charm with customers, whom she more often than not greets with their first names. Or at the Touraine, a 12-story landmark Philadelphia residence, where Andrea graciously watches over the front desk with comprehensive awareness and responsibility. I’d like to be able to hire them as well.

As the nonprofit journelism.org continues to grow and develop into a vibrant online community with singular content of meaningful consequence, I expect to be in a position to hire some of these people. We hear a constant barrage of negativity about the country’s employment situation, about record home foreclosures, about daily struggles just to put food on the table or pay the electric bill. But think about it: those willing to learn, eager to interact with the public, enthusiastic whatever the task at hand and reliable day in and day out will always be able to find work. And not just the kind of work that allows for a simple paycheck, but the kind of fresh pursuits for which they can’t wait to get to each morning.

The quality and nature of what we produce—the kind of productivity we live by—cannot help but sustain not only ourselves, but those we influence and come in contact with each and every day.

But weigh the consequences of inaction, and you may well be confronted by less money, by mediocre work, by unsatisfying relationships, by an unforgiving calendar, by… by… by.

Often buried within the kaleidoscopic responsibilities each of us must sustain to live on our 21^st-century planet is the plain fact that our time here is ever brief. Given that, how can anyone reasonably choose to waste it? To be sure, an entire week spent by the ocean, sleeping late, eating just-caught seafood, making love, cellphone and sweat a world away, can be just as productive as a solid week of 16-hour office days. Ambition manifests itself in endless ways, yet it returns time and again to making the most of our gifts, our resources, our time.

Are you in your 20s or even 30s, thinking that you have plenty of time? That all those pending decisions can wait awhile? That what’s the difference, you’ll be fine? If that’s the case, then take just a moment to think about how a lack of preparation will manifest itself in your 50s and 60s…. Time flew by and what have you got? What have you done with the self-same life that decades earlier was taken blithely for granted?

Enough retirement money would, of course, be quite nice, but the equation transcends bank balances and 401(k) plans. Will you be able to look back with quiet satisfaction, secure in the firm knowledge that you made the most of the time with which you were graced?

Don’t let it all fly by. Take your best shot, then reap what you sow.

Choose any profession, from prime minister and secretary of state to scientist and professor. From CEO and entrepreneur to concert pianist and composer. From… to…. From… to…. Women can be dominating and abrasive; men can be sensitive and nurturing. And mothers can be breadwinners while stay-at-home fathers can take care of home and hearth.

Yet men often find themselves boxed in by expected behaviors that serve neither them nor society with any relevance. Increasingly, macho behavior is as stale and difficult to digest as last week’s nachos. Regardless of gender, those failing to recognize this truism will remain rooted in patterns and behaviors as meaningless as they are ridiculous.

In a broader sense, let no one be confined—limited—to what’s expected either personally or professionally. Preconceived notions are as germane to actual life as is junk mail. Think and act beyond.

Take a moment, though, to consider the broader perspective. Are your days filled with humility and gratitude, or does pride take center stage? Are you graced with intelligence and good health, with skills and resources? If so, is this or that issue really so important for you to fight over? Is it worth the stress hormones and loss of sleep?

Make no mistake: when it comes to matters of health, the well-being of those you love, and consequences of far-reaching import, fight for your integrity with all of the calories at your disposal.

Yet how often do the day-to-day conflicts rise to those levels? Are the few extra dollars fought for really worth it? Is requiring the public prominence of your name worth alienating those around you? Is winning that argument truly worth sacrificing the warmth of home and hearth for something ultimately meaningless?

Frankly, what do we need in this world? After food, fellowship and faith, the list becomes tangibly thinner. Given that baseline, how many disputes really matter? Does the satisfaction of winning the occasional contretemps do much more than cushion the ego?

Do take that moment. Consider the broader perspective. Then don’t be afraid to admit how trivial, how miniature, that conflict.

What separates us pales next to what brings us close. Think about it. That wide gulf may be little more than a drop in the ocean.

Your spouse’s crucial work commitments cause all the week’s family responsibilities to fall on your shoulders alone.

You’ve lost your job and have accepted two or three jobs either within or outside your field rather than lose your house to foreclosure.

Your child’s or parent’s illness means that you’re burning candles on both ends of the day, as inattention or cutting corners is not within your repertoire.

These and countless other scenarios—faced by millions of people each calendar pass—point to the essential companions of positive attitude and selflessness that can make or break, that mean the difference between success and failure, that foster either normal breathing or a heart attack.

How do you respond when pushed to your supposed limits, when really squeezed? Do you lash out, become frayed to the core, let impatience and frustration rule your hours? Do your work and relationships suffer, sometimes irreparably?

Or are you able to step back, secure in your faith and abilities, calm in your approach, guided by the realization that all-too-easily bred negativity will not extend your life by five minutes?

Living with integrity means not subjecting your commitments and responsibilities to the vagaries of an uncertain world. While true that doing your very best is sometimes not enough, you’ll at least be able to face tomorrow, to face your family and peers, to face life itself, with grace and equanimity.

And when doing your very best is in fact enough to get you over rough days and fresh problems, think about all the energy—the juice—generated by necessity that consistently leads to personal and career accomplishment.

Then let your capabilities speak for themselves.

These questions hold true whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student, new to the job market or otherwise ensconced in a less-than-ideal job. Plan ahead. Act systematically. Are you going into an interview or meeting? Then formulate an agenda even if one is not provided. Reticence has no place within the job market, so carefully consider all chosen paths, then act decisively.

Don’t let yourself become sidetracked by thoughts of insecurity. Know yourself honestly. Know your abilities. Then have complete faith in your aptitude and competence. Easier said than done, you ask? Then reframe the question: why not you? Why not respect your intrinsic value? Why are you not in fact ideal for that job? Why can you not in fact complete that huge project step by methodical step, no matter how complex or intractable it may initially seem?

In the best of all possible worlds (and make no mistake—love it or leave it, we’re here for such a relatively brief time), what do you most want? With career, with personal goals, with life? Now frame these ideals into a realistic course of action to make them happen.

Ask for help. Seek guidance. Work hard. Make it happen.

Someone cuts you off on the turnpike, the expressway, the highway or the byway.

Someone promises you something but doesn’t deliver.

Someone leaves integrity at the door.

Someone d, e or f.

These things can either graze or cut deeply, the knife entering with various levels of pain. The reaction may be to turn that around, to fight, to never let it rest. If it’s a matter of personal integrity, then there is really no choice. Go knife to knife if need be.

But none of us can control the actions of other people, nor should we. If that’s the way they drive, so be it; get out of the way and drive defensively. If they make their way in the world with broken promises, so be it; get out of the way and discontinue contact. If they conduct themselves in underhanded ways, so be it; get out of the way and don’t do business with them.

We are not beholden to other people; we have choices. The daily decisions we make are our own. Everyone confronts forks in the road. If we allow ourselves to be dragged down by unsupportive people, by less-than-favorable circumstances, by personal disappointments, we alone are to blame. It’s how we react that reveals the key: treat each setback as a choice, as road A or B, either to remain positive whatever the short-term consequences or to slosh through the mud, no better than those who wronged us at the outset.

Make the positive turn, the proactive choice. Doing so represents true empowerment.