Read It: Seven Greatest Success Ideas

Journal, Positive Life, Self Discovery

Put the wisdom of the world’s most brilliant thinkers to work for you so that you may achieve real success and happiness in your life now.

Plato and Socrates,  Aristotle, Confucius,  Thomas Aquinas. The names of the great philosophers are still revered today, even after hundreds or even thousands of years have passed, since their concepts continue to enthrall audiences, provoke new lines of inquiry, and have a significant impact on the development of human history.

But what exactly are those thoughts? Why do they continue to have such an effect on the way people think, comprehend, and behave? Most importantly, in what ways may they assist YOU in living a life that is happier, healthier, and more satisfying right now?

Public philosopher, author, and well-known business adviser Tom Morris shows in his book The Seven Greatest Success Ideas: ‘A-HAs That Are Guaranteed to Take Your Life to the Next Level what the greatest thinkers in human history have to say about what it takes to attain genuine success in the 21st century.

Tom  presents the most profound insights that have ever been articulated by the human mind, and then makes the connection between those insights and your own personal, day-to-day experiences in a way that is so crystal clear, so potent, and so illuminating that it will permanently alter the way you look at the world.

Along the journey, you will also come to the realization that you, too, are a philosopher, endowed with the intrinsic ability to think profoundly and constructively about the issues that are of the utmost importance. You will discover how to stop chasing the wrong things and start asking the right questions by using the great philosophers as your guide. These are the questions that will bring you directly to the answers you want as well as the success and pleasure that we are all striving for. You will come away from reading The Seven Greatest Success Ideas with a knowledge of the world we live in that is infinitely more profound, textured, and clear; as well as of your position and purpose within it; and of the opportunities for genuine success that are all around you.

You’re Stopping You!

Journal, Learning, Positive Life, Self Discovery

“Have you ever had a great idea but didn’t follow through on it? If you identify as a “perfect” human being, you have. I’m not talking about anything extravagant. There’s nothing earth-shattering here. Simply said, it was an excellent concept that would have generated you more money. But you didn’t do anything about it. Speaking from experience here!

Full confession I’ve let many ideas remain as just that ideas. I’m the kind of person who thinks deeply and creatively. I’ve always had an ability to understand clients and come up with unique solutions for them. However, I must admit that I personally don’t feel I’m particularly successful. That’s due in large part  because I’m certainly not where I want it to be. 

The irony is that I have more fantastic ideas for growing my business. The issue is that I’ve not put many of them into action. 

So, how about you?

Have you have more ideas than you do actions? Why don’t you simply get started?

I became curious as to why I was operating the way I do, and began doing a lot of intraspection.

I started considering what it was that was preventing me from acting on ideas or plans that may result in substantial rewards?

These are some of the basic reasons I found.

1. A lack of an inspirational and compelling goal

The lack of a why is referred to as Purpose. Without a solid purpose, the urgent takes precedence. The build up of emails in the mailbox takes over. The call from a friend for help takes over. Inertia takes control.

We learn in physics that it takes more energy to break away from inertia. That energy is added by a strong aim. The energy that organizes your efforts and brings the most essential things to the forefront. You need an inspirational purpose to break free from the shackles of your existing routine.

2. Lack of a clear view

Consider yourself at a six-way stop in a fog so dense that you can’t see a single landmark. Even the traffic signs are incomprehensible to you. Which path will you take? Will you be confident in your choice of direction, or will you continue cautiously, expecting for the fog to clear before picking up the pace?

Everyone—at least everyone in business—wishes to go someplace. However, without a clear vision, it is impossible to see where you wish to go. And if you don’t see it, how will you act boldly and confidently toward it—whatever it is?

So, even if you have a strategy to get you…somewhere, you’re unlikely to carry it through. 

3. Unwilling to make sacrifices or put in the effort

You already have a lot on your plate, and anything additional you take on means something will have to be sacrificed. Sacrifice entails giving up something valuable in exchange for something even more valuable. That suggests there is something more precious to give up for. And you haven’t said what that “something” is. Or maybe you’re not convinced it’s worth it.

I began to place giving up leisure time, relaxing time, play time, or whatever in the same category. But it always comes down to sacrifice, and the key question is whether or not it’s worthwhile. (guilty as charged) There are moments when I feel I have something essential to do, but it isn’t important enough to get me to drop other “priorities”. 

4. Lack of faith

If you are positive that something will work, there is no danger, and you will most likely act. On the other hand, if you are uncertain—and most things are to some extent uncertain—you may ask if the risk is worthwhile.

Perhaps ‘it’ will work in someone else’s hands, but you don’t think it will work in yours. In other words, you lack faith in your ability to do the task, and the danger is too large.

Each of these concerns may be solved by having a strong purpose and inspirational goals to work toward. When these are powerful enough, they increase the potential benefit and shift the risk-return ratio in favor of action.

5th. Fear

It all boils down to fear at times, and this was the elephant in the room for me. You have a vision and a goal, and you believe the risks are manageable. But what happens if it doesn’t work out? What happens next? That’s what fear is. It’s not going to turn out the way you want it to. So, what will you be left with? Worse, not only will it not work out, but something negative will occur as a result of it.

6. All the other stuff

You simply have other commitments. What do you mean? Family or maybe a job. Thing is could some of it be eliminated or placed on hold?

It comes down to balancing what you have goin on with your purpose and aspirations.

You may need to refocus your priorities and rethink your alternatives in order to devote your available time and energy to pushing you on the right path.

So, how about you?

What’s holding you back? Any one of these six things, or a combination of them, can hold you back. It’s much simpler to confront and move forward after you have identified what is holding you back. 

The Gateway To Happiness

Journal, Positive Life, Self Discovery

Do you truly desire happiness? Everyone says yes, but the path to happiness has some of us squirming in our boots. Giving to others is a path to pleasure. Consider this: “For the sake of others’ happiness, cultivate empathy. Compassion is the key to happiness.” ~ Dalai Lama.

Some of us may worry that people will take advantage of our generosity if we offer too much. In fact, your good intentions may be misconstrued as weakness by a small number of egotistical people.

However, the majority of individuals are not interested in taking advantage of the situation. “We must be the change, we want to see in the world,” attributed to Gandhi. Think about it: if we’re going to make a change, why not start with each other?

Make a donation at any time, without asking for anything in return, and don’t even tell anybody about it. Those who benefit from your charitable deeds will thank you for it. However, bigger than that, universal forces will ensure that charity is

This is what some people call “karma,” or the rule of cause and consequence. In this way, every action has a corresponding reaction. Ensure that our actions have positive outcomes.

Danny Thomas remarked, ” “Despite the fact that we are all created for a reason, we don’t know what that reason is. Life success has nothing to do with personal gains or accomplishments. It’s about what you do for others. For others, it’s about what you do for them.”

You will leave a legacy of compassion if you give up everything you have. People will try to forget you if you don’t give them something to remember you by. I want the memories I leave behind to be positive ones, since that’s all I have to go on.

So, how much should you contribute? “Heart felt,” “kind words,” a letter, a card, or a flower are all examples of “heartfelt” gestures. You’ll discover that your donations won’t leave you penniless. As a consequence, you’ll find that most individuals are naturally inclined to repay the favor.

Be courteous to everyone who provides services to you on a regular basis. When it comes to the cleaner, janitor, parking lot attendant, or customer service representative, many folks don’t even say hello.

The more you get to know the person, the more likely they are to go out of their way to provide you with excellent service, simply by addressing them with their first name.

People will appreciate your genuineness and trustworthiness no matter where you travel. That’s all there is to it. A person’s actual riches, according to Mohammed, “is the good he or she does in the world.”

Reprogramming: The Power To Train Your Mind

Journal, Learning, Positive Life, Self Discovery

We have the power to train our mind to choose what we think, instead of allowing random thoughts to hold us hostage. The goal is to become inner-directed and focused, so that we become conscious to what we want to think, rather than have our thoughts and emotions determined by the world around us. The untrained mind has more emotional ups and downs because it is reacting to random thoughts.

Just like the Earth, the brain does not discern what we plant. It will work just as hard to grow weeds as it will to grow beautiful flowers. We determine the seeds that are planted by what we say to ourselves repeatedly. (more…)