The "After-Theory"

 You can achieve success in anything if you are determined to make the time.  Yet most people live by the "after-theory".  They've got real plans.  They're going to do great things...after the kids grow up, after they change jobs, after they finish school, after they get new curtains, etc, etc.  This "after" period never comes but they keep promising themselves that, someday, they are going to get what they want.  Now while opportunity may knock more than once, it seldom sits on the doorstep awaiting our pleasure.  And, sooner or later, we experience frustration and discouragement.

Do things you always wanted now.  Or make plans now.  Or program your subconscious now.  Not tomorrow!  You will never have more than you have today.  How you spend the next twenty-four hours is what counts.

Get the feeling of adventure.  On your next day off, take a trip to the park, mountains or a nearby beach.  Never mind the weather!  Get up and get out!  Use your imagination.  Escape the routine.

Self-Acceptance

Do you want total self-confidence?  Then one of the most important steps is to recognize your true worth as a person.  A sizable amount of the problems in your life can be traced back as a direct or indirect result of how you feel about yourself.  Remember this: YOU CAN NEVER BE BETTER THAN YOUR OWN SELF-IMAGE.

Intellectual acceptance of one's accomplishments or talents is not what I'm talking about.  Positive self-esteem is personal self-acceptance. You realize that you are a truly unique and worthy individual;  one who doesn't feel the need to impress others with achievements or material possessions.  Positive self esteem is not the same thing as an ego trip.  You are not in love with yourself in the egotistical sense.  Ironically, the person who incessantly brags or boasts displays one of the classic symptoms of low self-esteem.

You would think that those with the most success would have the greatest self-esteem but this is not always the case.  One the greatest tragedies of our time concerns those leaders, teachers, inventors, artists, and people who have made great contributions to mankind and yet are victims of their own low self-esteem.  Some of those most admired people in history have become drug addicts, alcoholics, and even committed suicide just to escape from a self that they could never quite accept and often grew to hate.

Developing positive self esteem is not just a matter of making yourself happy, it is the foundation on which you must build your whole life.  If you can hope to be free, it is a task which you must take seriously.

6 Rules of Success

I just wanted to share this short video with you about Arnold's 6 rules of Success.  Regardless of what you think of him personally or of his politics, he was a driven, self-made man.  And this is a very inspirational speech.

It will help to get you pumped and inspired.  But as he reminds in the video, none of these rules will work for you unless do.  Work, work, work towards your goal and don't quit.

Philanthropy

What image often comes to mind when somebody thinks of a philanthropist?  The modern vernacular use of the term usually conjures up an image of a rich guy in a suit giving millions to some fund or charity.  Quite often it's done in an effort to repair or soften his image as a rich, greedy SOB.

But that really isn't what the word really means.  Wealth is not a prerequisite of being a philanthropist.  Philanthropy simply means "love of humanity" or a desire to help and nurture the human potential.  You don't need to be rich to do this.  You just need to help others and have a desire to help others.  Even small acts, done consistently, go a long way and build a web effect of goodwill stretching out from you - all in your favor! That's a good investment and it'll make you happier too.  By helping others you help yourself.

This doesn't always come naturally.  Some are born with an innate interest and compassion for people.  But for others, they're about as helpful as the next guy but they really got their own problems to worry about.  What they need to realize is that humans are a collaborative species.  We're made to help each other.  You don't have to go it alone.  Don't isolate yourself.  Care for your group.  Alphas aren't just stereotypical buff idiots.  The good ones have a real interest in and concern for the group; they care for the pack.  Women find that nurturing, protective nature attractive.  Men find that self-sacrifice and friendship endearing and will follow it.

The Art of Determination

Being determined is one of the most important strengths to have in your life.  If you have determination and perseverance everything else you're striving for is yours.  It's only a matter of time.

Yet many lose their willpower too easily or too soon.  That is why I call it an art.  Having a strong will requires practice just like any other virtue.  You need to consciously remind yourself when you want to give up "No! Just a little bit further.  I can do more".  The more you do this and turn your fatigue around and keep going, the stronger your will gets.  The greater your determination.

You control your own destiny rather than just drifting through circumstances and events.  When you think about it, determination is a kind of superpower.  You think Batman trained himself to the peak of physical strength and mental fitness just because he felt like it?  No way!  He persevered and went out there and trained everyday even when he didn't always feel like it.  The same goes for Olympic athletes.  Hell, the same goes for people who get stranded in a survival situation.  Mental attitude is what makes the difference between life and death - going on even if you're body is screaming at you that it can't go any further.

Interesting Anecdote

Everybody knows about the Nobel Prize.  What most people don't know is the story behind it.

Well, for starters, the Nobel Prize is named after Alfred Nobel.  Mr. Nobel was famous in his own time but it wasn't because of the Peace Prize (those wouldn't be established until after his death).  Have any idea what he was famous for?  He was the inventor of dynamite.  That's right,  the namesake of  the most prestigious peace prize in the world comes from the inventor of dynamite.

How did this happen?  Well, the story goes that Alfred's brother Ludvig was on a trip to Cannes when he suddenly died.  Alfred traveled there to collect his brother's body and while there noticed that one of the local obituaries had mistakenly reported that Alfred Nobel had died. 

The article was unflattering.  "The Merchant of Death is Dead" read the title.  It went on to say "Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday."  Imagine what an eerie feeling that must have been; to read your own obituary. 

Needless to say he was saddened by what he read concerned with what kind of legacy he was gonna leave behind.  It was then that he decided to set apart much of his fortune in his will to creating the foundation for the Nobel Prizes.  Altogether the prizes are awarded for International Fraternity (Peace), Physical Science, Chemistry, Medicine, and Literature.

It's an interesting story.  A sort of Christmas Carol conversion story.  It makes think about how you might be remembered and what sort of things are important to be remembered for.

Mix Up Your Routine

Try to do something different or creative everyday.  Studies have shown that doing this keeps you healthy and vibrant and happier.  An added bonus: It's also said to give you better dreams at night.

If the brain isn't challenged in some way everyday it has an atrophying effect.  A sort of intellectual/creative malaise starts to set in.  It's the same as a muscle would atrophy if don't work it out.

Keep trying to learn something new or do something that's out of your comfort zone.  This is the way you grow and really live life. Maybe try to learn a new language or play an instrument, even if it's just for a little bit everyday.  20 minutes a day is much more effective than trying to learn it all when you finally feel like it.

Mission Statement

         This is a blog about living the Good Life.  Now what do I mean by that?  Well, to me, I kinda mean it in the Socratic sense of living a "good" life - a life well lived.  Rich in experiences and self discovery.  To become the best and strongest we can possibly be!

         With this blog I hope to help other people get the most out their lives as it's based on the belief that in helping others we help ourselves as well.  Everyone has at least a vague idea of what their best self would be like and the best way to achieve that is to make it a daily quest.  To never give up and never give in.  If it doesn't make you smarter, healthier, funnier, or just generally more awesome you won't find it on this blog.   I will try to update this everyday and comments are always welcome.