The Secret to Success

No two people have the exact same goal and the reasons for similar goals are varied. There is also not one road to success. We all know our strengths and weaknesses and we need to concretely identify them to set a path to success. But that's the easy part. The rigid part is sticking to the outlined steps to success.
You will notice that extremely successful people have never put their foot off the gas. They never stop their run to the finish line. They find a way to survive when mere mortals would have thrown up the white flag.  While Ronda Rousey and Justin Trudeau are classic models of success, showing perseverance and commitment no matter what may be going on,  Charles Bukowski and Nelson Mandela show a commitment that goes beyond mere everyday challenges to overcoming the extraordinary or even the impossible. Bukowski had a goal of speaking for the disenfranchised in a way no poet has ever done. An alcoholic and mired in poverty, he manages to  cope and find ways to survive while trying to meet his end goal. While Bukowski always had the talent, he needed it to shine through. He got his break because he managed to get noticed. Isn't that what we're trying to do now?
Nelson Mandela is perhaps the most inspirational man to have ever been born. All he wanted was equal rights. Imprisoned for decades,  he came out of prison after the international community gave the apartheid government in South Africa no choice but to free him.  He immediately blamed no one for what happened and didn't forgive his oppressors. He went a step further and just turned the page. Only in this way could he stay committed to his end goal. Letting hate, the vehicle of the week, take control of him would not have led to his success. Wanting revenge would have caused tumult. The smooth transition that took place was smooth because Mandela was a strong man. He was beyond reproach in his commitment.  This is what heroes are made of. This is also what leaders and people who want control of their lives need to be made of. You don't need to have anyone to look up to. You need to have the passion and love to see your path to happiness through to the end.

Expressing Gratitude

 

  The secret and starting point to everlasting happiness is gratitude.  We need to be thankful for what we have.  And there are so many things to be thankful for. Just sit down and make a list of all the people and things that inspire you and that you love and gratitude begins right there. We can be thankful for our health. We can be thankful for our family and friends. The list is endless.  The everyday mundane things we take for granted are building blocks towards happiness. The more we realise their significance and the more we see their role towards optimal empowerment, the more we will show gratitude towards them.
    As an exercise, think of a goal you have attained and then write down the steps you took in achieving that goal.  Who and what were involved in the accomplishment? Were you grateful for all these people and situations that brought you there?  Did you feel that some seemingly negative situation may have helped you?  Are you grateful for that?
    Gratitude is karmic and when we master the art of gratitude, it becomes  apparent that we receive it back.  That's what inner peace and serenity are all about.

 

How Happy Are You?

    The diagram below shows the tendencies of happy people. Isn't this what optimality is? It is peace and serenity.  And even though you may not want to do all of the 12 things listed in the diagram, you will no doubt agree the all these acts are part of a euphoric whole. This is a lasting euphoria, so it is subdued, low -key, and eventually everlasting.
    Most people may see this as something associated with yogis or people who have some kind of demons to exorcize.  What they don't realise is that these acts encompass what is empowerment.  When happiness is achieved within, it is later given outwards.  We are ready to empower others. Read on for a closer look.