A major factor in determining one's course of action is one's definition of what is strength. How it is defined and how it is wielded carries a vast effect in how people's actions are directed. And on this, some definitions are better than others.
One wrongful definition of strength is found in Michael Jackson's song "Beat it." He said, "strong is just fight, it doesn't matter who's wrong or right." This disastrous attitude has caused horrible problems in African American communities. People are taught that being strong is about being a gangster; and most people with that attitude wind up behind bars.
Another wrongful definition of strength is found in the Syrians who claim President Obama to be weak by virtue of his refusing to unilaterally declare war. These people identify strength with despotism; and - surprise surprise - what they get in their country is one kind of despotism after another. Syria has not become a strong country from this belief; it became a tyrant's playground, and it is the people that have suffered from this the most.
Also wrong is the definition of strength that is popular in cowboy areas of America, such as Texas: Being physically strong but rash and injudicious. They become physically strong, but they make major errors that lead them into trouble or result in asinine behavior on their part. We see this with some Republicans regarding Bush a strong person for having waged a war in Iraq. He waged a war in Iraq; the military and mercenary organizations hired by the military killed 600,000 Iraqi civilians. This is the shortcoming of that definition of strength: The person becomes a jerk.
As part of both the cowboys' and the despots' definition of strength is the idea that strength is about decisive action. Recent history has shown the shortcomings of that definition. Bush acted decisively in Iraq, and now 600,000 Iraqis are dead. It cannot just be about decisive action; it has to be about right decisive action.
A real, workable, beneficial definition of strength includes self-control, judgment and principle.
Self-control is required for real strength in order to prevent oneself from using one's strength improperly and hurting the people whom one loves or people whom one is not intending to injure.
Judgment is necessary in order to wield one's strength in a way that is intelligent rather than dumb.
And principle is necessary so that the strength be wielded rightfully rather than wrongly.
Strength has to be defined rightly, and then it becomes a positive force instead of a wrongful force. People who aspire toward strength must also be taught self-control, judgment and principle. It cannot be about beating up random people, it cannot be about being rash, and it cannot be about being despotic. It has to be a tool for enforcement of rightful and positive purposes and be never allowed to become a purpose in itself.
Gangsters, despots and cowboys may be physically stronger than the next person, but they do not actualize in anything good. Only when wielded rightfully does strength becomes a positive thing rather than something destructive. Self-control, judgment and principle must be an integral part of all strength training. And this will create character to go along with strength, resulting in strength being a tool of good instead of a blind, destructive and stupid force.