Do not ask what you can do for your country,
Do not ask what you can do for your town;
Do not ask what you can do for your neighbor,
Do not ask what you can do for a clown.

Do not ask for a purpose in living,
Do not ask for an aim or a goal,
For it’s you who must master your giving
To your body, your mind, and your soul.

The work that you choose to fulfill you
Must come from your wants and your needs;
The company You has a Captain
And you are your Sergeant of deeds.

The ultimate Boss of your being,
Your guardian God, your first Friend,
Is your reasoning mind—ever grasping
That you are its glorious end.

Individual, sure, independent,
Strong to see and to judge and to act,
Ask only yourself what you’re wanting
Then go out and make it a fact.