"Stick to the code"

Disney has probably made one "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie too many, but I sure did like the first one!  I was fortunate enough to go to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida several times when I was growing up (I had one aunt who lived in Orlando - still does - for most of my childhood, and another aunt who lived there for a little while).  My wife and I lived in Southern California for a few years during my residency training, so we took our family to Disneyland a couple of times as well.  The "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride was my favorite ride - still is as a matter of fact.  One of my favorite lines in the movie was the advice that Captain Jack Sparrow always gave his men whenever they weren't sure what exactly they should do - "Stick to the code."  There is even a scene in one of the later movies (I forget which one) where Keith Richards (from the Rolling Stones) makes a cameo appearance.  Richards' character shoots one of the other pirates who refused to live by the code.  Unfortunately, the "Pirate's Code" is not a very honorable one ("Any man who falls behind, gets left behind") - they are, after all, pirates.

My point here is that even pirates, scallywags, rapscallions, buccaneers, raiders, privateers, and picaroons live by a code.  A code is like a vision statement.  It answers the simple questions of "what do you stand for?" or "how do you want to live?"  We all have "codes" of one form or another.  Physicians have the Hippocratic Oath or even the American Medical Association's Code of Ethics.  I have talked about my involvement with the Boy Scouts in the past and have mentioned the Boy Scout Oath.  The American Nursing Association also has a "Code of Ethics".  In fact, just about every organization will have some form of "Code of Ethics" or at least a mission, vision, and core values statement.  These are all codes. 

I have also talked in the past about having a personal mission, vision, and values statement - a personal code, if you will.  Explicitly stating your mission, vision, and values helps provide a framework for how you work, how you act in your life, and what things matter to you.  Having a personal code (maybe even a "code of ethics") will help you address some of life's toughest challenges, and you will do so without compromising your own personal values.  Living by a code is important - being a leader who lives by a certain set of rules and obligations is important. 

So, the next time you are facing a particularly challenging set of circumstances, always remember what Captain Jack Sparrow says to his crew - "Stick to the code."