Each of us can point to circumstances not of our own doing to justify our current state (poor family, “bad” parents, surname ends in a vowel, went to Podunk school, etc.).  All of them may be true, and it is equally true that by taking responsibility for our response, we may prevail against them all.  They Did It Mark Cuban sold plastic garbage bags and ate mayonnaise sandwiches before starting...

And sometimes it rings when we are unprepared or wish someone else was called.  We need to respond affirmatively to the opportunity even when the timing is wrong, we do not want to, or we do not feel suited for the task. It Rings We would immediately jump to the aid of a heart attack victim and perform CPR, armed only with the knowledge acquired from life-saving reality TV.  Without a moment’s...

Are You Sure About This? After residing with our goals for a month, now is a good time to address an issue hindering our progress toward accomplishment: fear.  Begin by considering how many of your accomplishments required passing through fear.   You were deathly afraid after the training wheels came off and your mom, who could run no longer, announced she was letting go of your bicycle seat. ...

Ah, if we could stop at peace and joy, what a wonderful world it would be.  Not really; we are made for more.  Our moms were right; we possess and must use our unique talent.   For this reason, a fulfilling life requires accomplishment - the ambition to do something meaningful supported by the activity leading to its fruition.   Why Do You Aspire? Pursuing accomplishment fulfills our purpose and...

Components Joy is not a temporal state of happiness but a persistent state attained by accepting every moment without imposing judgment.  Admittedly a tall order, but consciously practicing gratitude and maintaining a positive attitude reduces our impulse to judge.  Joy can be present, not because of, but during every circumstance.   Everyone reading this post on their electronic device over the...