Socrates and The Oracle

"The Death of Socrates", by Jacques-Louis David (1787)

Socrates' friend, Chaerephon, asked the oracle, in Delphi, if there was someone wiser than Socrates to which the Oracle replied “no one”. Socrates, who had heard of the tale thought it was ridiculous since he felt like he wasn't the wisest man. This began his journey to find a wiser man than he was.

He found a politician on his journey who was known to be wise. Socrates spoke to the man and pointed out what the man didn't know which angered the man. He then famously said:

“I am wiser than this man: neither of us knows anything that is really worth knowing, but he thinks that he has knowledge when he has not, while I, having no knowledge, do not think that I have. I seem, at any rate, to be a littler wiser than he is on this point: I do not think that I know what I do not know.”

He had a similar experience with every wise person he met. This quest eventually brought his death after he angered too many wise people in power; who then gave him the death penalty. Socrates died in 348 B.C. by willingly drinking poison following is death penalty.

There are no known written document, by Socrates, that survived. Everything we know about this Philosopher was brought down to us by his students, mainly Plato, who followed him and documented his journey.

What we can learn from this story is that when we think we “know”, we sometime become arrogant and take offence when exposed to new ideas. It is important that we remain humble and curious so we can be opened to those new ideas and grow as human beings.

*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE).

Pleasures - The Downfall of Civilizations

“In American today the popular word for good life is “happiness”…The American pursuit of happiness can often look like a compulsive, joyless effort to escape boredom… a people blessed with far more material advantages than any other society has ever enjoyed is not clearly the happiest on earth.” –Harold H. Titus & Marilyn S. Smith

The material advantage is a curse more than a blessing. Most of those things promises to make our lives easier by helping us or saving time. One would think that those improvements would allow us to focus on more important endeavors but it only “free us” to pursue more things.

Materials are a curse when the people buying it have no sense of values (as in what’s really important in life). When this occurs, the things he owns-owns him.
We buy things because it’s pleasurable and we too often confuse pleasure with happiness. Like Orrin Woodward said, “Pleasure doesn’t bring happiness, only an increased hunger for more pleasures.”

Happiness comes from following our values. Joy, which is the ultimate form of happiness, comes from being at peace with ourselves and is often attained through religion or spirituality (along with following values) – It’s a sense of belonging to something bigger than us.

Pleasure is like a quick burning fire, it often can’t be controlled even if we think we can. Pleasure is short lived and has been the caused of the downfalls of previous civilizations which will include our own if we don’t understand it and attempt to move away from it.

Be Proactive with Your Emotions

"We've just grown apart"; said the man before leaving his wife.

PEOPLE CHANGE ALL THE TIME! OF COURSE YOU'VE GROWN APART IF YOU HAVEN'T SPENT THE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR PARTNER.

"We've grown apart" is a lame excuse from people who believe love is a feeling that just "is". Feelings are like fires, if you don't nurture them they eventually die out.

If you're sad, stop thinking about the things that makes you sad and the feeling will go away-only to return when you're thinking about it again.

We're not controlled by our emotions as much as we have control over them. Those who fail to understand this are doomed to go from relationship to relationship; changing partner whenever the feeling dictates.

*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE).

Using Humor to Connect

The best way to get in someone’s heart is to make them laugh your way through. Humor is a great ice breaker, it doesn’t really matter what you say. If the other person laugh, you just broke down a wall.

I can prove this by asking you which comedian you like. Chances are you like which ever one makes you laugh the most. I bet you don’t even know the comedian all that well and yet you’ve accepted him in your heart.

How long would it take for someone who doesn’t make you laugh to get in your heart? Probably a long time. What can you do with someone if you can't laugh with them?

*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE).

You Need Money To Make Money - Really?

“Some people foolishly believe that only money can make money. This is not true! Desire, transmuted into its monetary equivalent through the principles laid down here [“Think And Grow Rich” book], is the agency through which money is “made.” Money, of itself, is nothing but inert matter. It cannot move, think, or talk, but it can “hear” when one who desires it calls it to come!” -Napoleon Hill

We've all heard the phrases "The Rich get Richer" or "It takes money to make money" but that simply isn't true. The rich won't get richer unless they have the desire to do so nor will the poor who lacks the desire. The old saying "When there's a will there's a way" applies here.

While it may be easier for the rich to make more money, since they've learned from acquiring their fortune, it is certainly not out of reach of the poor. The "money" excuses is just that - an excuse. We can all be rich if we want to be, we just have to learn how.

*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE).

The Most Powerful Thought I Ever Read

“Today we come across an individual who behaves like an automaton, who does not know or understand himself, and the only person that he knows is the person that he is supposed to be, whose meaningless chatter has replaced communicative speech, whose synthetic smile has replace genuine laughter, and whose sense of dull despair has taken the place of genuine pain. Two statements may be said concerning this individual. One is that he suffers from defects of spontaneity and individuality, which may seem to be incurable. At the same time it may be said of him he does not differ essentially from the millions of the rest of us who walk upon this earth.” -Erich Fromm

The above is the most powerful statement I ever read. I Have worked in the corporate world for almost a decade now and I had first row seats to what Erich Fromm is describing here. People have become but machines to "do" without much thinking. It's a constant fight not to fall into this trap and to be just another mindless drone.

Keep reading, keep being different!

*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE).

Be Mindful of Your Association

“We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.” –Jim Rohn

Income, the way we think, how we live ... etc is, in most cases, very similar to that of our 5 closest friends. Therefor we want to change our life situation, changing some of our associations would be a great place to start. It is important for us to find and rub shoulders with people who have the result that we want so that we, too, can have those results.

In other words, if we want to be financially free; we'll have a better chance of making it by associating with someone who has achieved this than someone who hasn't.

Be mindful of your associations - they're part responsible for the results in your life.

Think Success!

Whether you say you're good or bad at something - you're right. How you think about something is the indicator of how successful you'll be at it. René Descartes once said "I think, therefore I am" which can apply to this as well.

I remember when I played soccer. I wasn't really good at it nor did I think I was. Some of my friends took the game seriously and it showed in their thinking and actions. They knew they were good and they put a lot of effort in it.

When we practice for something, we not only develop the body, we also develop the mind. We're telling ourselves that we're a winner; we worked too hard not to be!

Think success and you will succeed! Think failure and you will fail. It's that simple.

*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE).

Character IS Destiny

"Destiny does not consist in what we feel we should like to do; rather it is recognized in its clear features in the consciousness that we must do what we do not feel like doing." -Ortega y Gasset

The definition of character is doing the right thing. Therefor, like Heraclitus said, "Character is destiny."

"Anyone desiring a noble destiny must first develop a noble character." -Orrin Woodward

Burnout

A burnout happens when someone has been doing something he didn't want to do for too long. How can someone have a burnout when he's looking forward to work every morning?

While it's true that too much of a good thing can be bad-too much of a bad thing is worse.

The surest way to have a burnout is when you have to do something vs wanting to do it. If you're passionate about what you do but have to do it to pay the bills then the passion is replaced with stress which will eventually burn you out.

Be debt free and do the things you're passionate about.

Task Vs How To Do The Job

Although many managers don’t care to know the difference, there’s a thin line between giving someone a task and telling them how to do it.

When you tell someone how to do something, you’re also telling them “I don’t think you can do this on your own”. The lack of trust will hurt the manager/employee relationship and where trust is in small amount-so is the willingness to work.

If you want your employees to give it their all at work, give them a task and let them figure out how to do it. It’ll be easier on you, since you won’t feel like you have to chaperone and it’ll allow them to think for themselves. Many heads thinking on a problem is better than 1 doing all the thinking.

Vulgarity

I used to be vulgar in my communication. I thought that my vulgarity "enhanced" my thoughts. Well it doesn't!

I stopped being vulgar when I started noticing that the successful people I was associating with, and whom I admired, weren't using those words.
As it turns out, we tend to pick up conversational habits of those we associate with the most. I used to hangout with vulgar people, therefore I was vulgar.

Be mindful of the wording you use when you speak - it indicates to the listener the kind of people you associate with the most.

Who Are You When Nobody's Looking?

Is the real "you" the same as the "you" you tell others?

During an interview, Basketball player Kobe Bryant said that Michael Jordan gave him the advice of being himself. He said that if he was himself, the world would adapt to him.

If we adapt to the world, then what new things are we bringing to the table? We were created unique and thought how to be a carbon copy of each other!

Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Micheal Jordan (etc..) were all geniuses in their own rights and they were also themselves. They will forever be remembered for their individuality.

It is time for us to find ourselves so that we, too, can be remembered for our individuality.

To the question "Who are you when nobody's looking?" Dale Carnegie said "I'm the person I really hope and want to be."

What is your answer?

*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE).

Knowledge Over Ignorance - A James Madison Quote

"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."

-James Madison

Father Forgets

Father Forgets
W. Livingston Larned

Listen, son: I am saying this as you lies asleep, one little paw crumpled under your cheek and the blond curls stickily wet on your damp forehead. I have stolen into your room alone. Just a few minutes ago, as I sat reading my paper in the library, a stifling wave of remorse swept over me. Guiltily I came to your bedside.

There are the things I was thinking, son: I had been cross to you. I scolded you as you were dressing for school because you gave your face merely a dab with a towel. I took you to task for not cleaning your shoes. I called out angrily when you threw some of your things on the floor.

At breakfast I found fault, too. You spilled things. You gulped down your food. You put your elbows on the table. You spread butter too thick on your bread. And as you started off to play and I made for my train, you turned and waved a hand and called, “Goodbye, Daddy!” and I frowned, and said in reply, “Hold your shoulders back!”

Then it began all over again in the late afternoon. As I came up the road I spied you, down on your knees, playing marbles. There were holes in your stockings. I humiliated you before your boyfriends by marching you ahead of me to the house. Stockings were expensive-and if you had to buy them you would be more careful! Imagine that, son, from a father!

Do you remember, later, when I was reading in the library, how you came in timidly, with a sort of hurt look in your eyes? When I glanced up over my paper, impatient at the interruption, you hesitated at the door. “What is it you want?” I snapped.

You said nothing, but ran across in one tempestuous plunge, and threw your arms around my neck and kissed me, and your small arms tightened with an affection that God had set blooming in your heart and which even neglect could not wither. And then you were gone, pattering up the stairs.

Well, son, it was shortly afterwards that my paper slipped from my hands and a terrible sickening fear came over me. What has habit been doing to me? The habit of finding fault, of reprimanding-this was my reward to you for being a boy. It was not that I did not love you; it was that I expected too much of youth. I was measuring you by the yardstick of my own years.

And there was so much that was good and fine and true in your character. The little heart of you was as big as the dawn itself over the wide hills. This was shown by your spontaneous impulse to rush in and kiss me good night. Nothing else matters tonight, son. I have come to your bedside in the darkness, and I have knelt there, ashamed!

It is feeble atonement; I know you would not understand these things if I told them to you during your waking hours. But tomorrow I will be a real daddy! I will chum with you, and suffer when you suffer, and laugh when you laugh. I will bite my tongue when impatient words come. I will keep saying as if it were a ritual: “He is nothing but a boy-a little boy!”

I am afraid I have visualized you as a man. Yet as I see you now, son, crumpled and weary in your cot, I see that you are still a baby. Yesterday you were in your mother’s arms, your head on her shoulder. I have asked too much, too much.

-Page 15-17 of "How to Win Friends & Influence People" book by Dale Carnegie

*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE).

Jim Carrey Graduation Speech

Jim Carrey is a great actor/comedian and has recently been honoured in Fine Arts after he gave a speech to a class of 2014 university graduates. The speech was both inspirational and humoristic which made Jim Carrey shine. See it below:

*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE)

Love's True Opposite

“The opposite of love isn't hate; it's indifference.” -Unknown

When there's hate, forgiveness can potentially repair the hurt and have love comeback. When there's indifference, forgiveness won't change anything.

Hating someone is still thinking about them while indifference is to have completely moved on and are now non-caring of their persons.

The Man Who Wins Is the One Who Thinks He Can - Poem by Walter D. Wintle

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you'd like to win, but think you can't
It's almost a cinch you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you've lost,
For out in the world we find
Success being with a fellow's will;
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you're outclassed, you are:
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the one who thinks he can.

-Poem by Walter D. Wintle found on P. 55 of "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill (Revised & Updated for the 21st century edition)

This poem is a good reminder that success in anything begins with the belief that we can. Belief brings confidence which is necessary for any endeavor.

The Human Experience

“You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience.” -Teilhard de Chardin

When we think in terms of spirit, there's no racism or gender superiority/differences. When we think in terms of human beings, we start to see the physical differences between people and that is where racism, sexism, bullying, stereotypes (etc...) comes from.

Let's try to see things for what they are rather than what they appear to be. We are spirits trapped in a human body having a human experience. On that basis, we should be able to find common grounds and get along.

Better Than Our Limitations

Humans are the only known entities (so far?) that are able to design machines to compensate for their own limitations. We can go faster with cars, fly with planes, memorize information with computers, go under water with submarines... if we can't physically do it (or it's to difficult for us to do so), we can do it with the help of our inventions.

There will be a day when we'll be sickness free and dying will be nothing more but a choice. There's nothing impossible for the human mind.

-Good/Right Vs Bad/Wrong-

"If what you say and do is of God, it doesn't make any difference if every other person on the face of the earth criticizes you. Likewise, if what you are doing is not of God, nothing other people say will make it right." -John Mason

Whether you believe there's a God or not doesn't change the fact that we should all do good. When I was younger, I used to stupidly tell my friends that I will be one of those people that will be remembered-in a good or bad way.
Growing up, I realize that it's harder said then done to be good but that doesn't make "bad" any more attractive. Now that I know more about the world and see evil for what it is, there's no way anyone can purposely want to be remembered for the bad things they've done-not ever Hitler.

"Get to know the right, then you would know the people of right. Right is not measured by its men, but men are measured by their right." -Ali

We all have a deep desire to be good but that's often clouded with layers of dirt and the only way to remove it is to turn to a source of good and follow the examples. For some people, the dirt is so thick that they're blinded to the hurt they're doing to themselves and those around them making "looking for good" a critical step in changing their life around.

If our goal is truly to become better people then we must have a deep understanding of Right and Wrong. We must do what's right and run away from what is wrong. Plug in to the right sources.

How to change the World - A Monk's Wise Words

"When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation. I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had change myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could have indeed have changed the world."

-Unknown Monk, A. D. 1100


*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE).

How to change the World

"If you wanna make the world a better place/Take a look at yourself and then make a change." -Michael Jackson

When most people say they want to change the world, they usually turn to their neighbour and tell them what to do.

We can’t change the world by telling others what they should do. Benjamin Franklin famously said “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still”.

We have to become the change that we want to see. We have to lead the change and become the example for others to follow.

*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE).

The No Complaining Rule

Whenever I'm in a new office, I start the day by printing the "No Complaining Rule" taken from the book "The No Complaining Rule" by author Jon Gordon. The rules help me keep things into perspective and are just good rules to live by. See below:

The No Complaining Rule

Employees are not allowed to mindlessly complain to their coworkers. If they have a problem or complaint about their job, their company, their customer, or anything else, they are encouraged to bring the issue to their manager or someone who is in a position to address the complaint. However, the employee(s) must share one or two possible solutions to their complaint as well.

-Page 96 from “The No Complaining Rule” by author Jon Gordon

Five Things To Do Instead Of Complain

1. Practice Gratitude. Research shows that when we count three blessings a day, we get a measurable boost in happiness that uplifts and energizes us. It’s also physiologically impossible to be stressed and thankful at the same time. Two thoughts cannot occupy our mind at the same time. if you are focusing on gratitude, you can’t be negative. You can also energize and engage your coworkers by letting them know you are grateful for them and their work.

2. Praise Others. Instead of complaining about what others are doing wrong, start focusing on what they are doing right. Praise them and watch as they create more success as a result. Of course, point out their mistakes so they can learn and grow, but make sure you give three times as much praise as criticism.

3. Focus on Success. Start a success journal. Each night before you go to bed, write down the one great thing about your day. The one great conversation, accomplishment, or win that you are most proud of. Focus on your success, and you’ll look forward to creating more success tomorrow.

4. Let Go. Focus on the things that you have the power to change and let go of the things that are beyond your control. you’ll be amazed that when you stop trying to control everything, it all somehow works out.

5. Pray and Meditate. Scientific research shows that these daily practices reduce stress; boost positive energy; and promote health, vitality, and longevity. When you are faced with the urge to complain or you are feeling stressed to the max, stop, be still, plug-in the ultimate power and recharge.

-Page 114 from “The No Complaining Rule” by author Jon Gordon

If you haven't done so already, be sure to pick this book up. Get it here!

Business VS Job

"It's crazy how some people feel that five to ten years being an entrepreneur is a long time to achieve a level of success and wealth but don't feel that 40 years at a 9-5 job is a long time to stay broke!" -Unknown

Commitment or don't Commit at All

"A marriage based on the premise "Well, let's give this a shot, and if we 'grow apart,' we can always get divorced," is doomed before the vows are complete." -Lou Holtz

There's no grey area in life. You either do it or you don't. Maybe means you're not doing it.

If you say you're going to do something but don't plan on backing it up with work-don't say you're going to do it. It is better to have someone know you're not going to do it than to have them expect it and you not delivering on your promise.

*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE).

Learning Following the Console’s Achievement System

If you’ve played games recently then you’re familiar with the concept of Achievements (Xbox) or Trophies (Playstation) that rewards the player when hitting milestones in a game. These rewards boost a player’s experience which sometimes unlock other things or create grounds for bragging rights.

The system was obviously designed to motivate players to play more but what would happen if it was implement in the educational system? Would it motivate students to learn?

Check out this “3D GameLab - The Power of Quest-Based Learning™” video and judge for yourself!

Learning is fun and it looks even more so with this system! What are your thoughts?

"And Justice For All" book by Orrin Woodward

Orrin Woodward released many books over the years and is considered one of the biggest leaders of the 21st century. His latest work, "And Justice For All", is coming out this month and it looks amazing! See the trailer below:

Multitasking doesn't Work

We don't multitask well. There's a reason why it's illegal to text and drive. We can't focus on 2 things at once.

Multitasking is like having 1L of water to divide into many glasses. We pour a little here, a little there and next thing we know we're out of water and none of the glasses are full.

"Be present wherever you are. Multitasking is a thief, robbing us of joy and stealing our ability to focus and create clear memories. If you're with your kids, be with your kids. If you're at work, be at work. Stop splitting yourself into little worthless pieces." -Chris Brady

Multitasking creates stress when trying to accomplish too many things at once.
To remedy this, make a list of what needs to get done and prioritize it. Don't start the next task until the first one is done. Focus only on the present task.

*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE).

Tracking... What’s the Big Deal?

I can’t say I’m a big fan of the tracking progress or monitoring myself with spreadsheets, documents or even the infamous post-it notes. It seems like all the new books on self improvements have a fancy form of self monitoring that consists of writing down some info all in the name of getting to know ourselves. My initial feeling is “If I do every exercise the books advise me to do then I won’t have time for myself at the end of the day but only a bunch of info on how I spent the day.

Do I need to “get to know myself” this much?

I do admit that I’m afraid of several things when it comes to tracking my daily activities. Let’s go through the list and try to give rational and positive answers to fears shall we?

Fear number 1: I’m afraid this will take even more time.

Answer:
Just like everything else in life that we have to learn. Tracking our progress and analyzing ourselves takes time and effort. The Irony is that most people who are gathering information to better know themselves already feel like they don’t have enough time from the start. This really puts a damper on trying out something new. It might be hard at first but remember that this can be temporary up until you have the info then you can have the data necessary to gain time permanently.

Fear number 2: I’m afraid it won’t work.

Answer:
It’s not about “work” or “not work.” it’s about having more info on yourself the results will follow after having the knowledge you need!

Fear Number 3: I’m afraid I won’t remember to right things down when I need to!

Answer:
There are plenty of ways to remember to jot down some info. You can put reminders on your phone. You can find apps that will help with tracking your daily activities. Even ask friends to hold you accountable in some way (Although I’m pretty sure you don’t want your friend to call every hour!). Remember that its not the end of the world if you forget.

In sports they track their progress all the time (I know that sports analogies are used often when it comes to self improvement but it works so) and for good reasons.

Professional athletes know their progress, their limits, habits...you name it! This helps them to achieve better results more quickly. They don’t leave progress to chance and why should you?

It's all about getting some knowledge of yourself in order for you to be empowered.

In my next post I will share some of the self tracking exercises and tools I'm going to try out and in a few weeks we will see the outcome together.

The Professional Look

The professional look is use in business to exert the feeling of "trust", "I'm ready to go" or "I value you as a person hence why I went the extra mile".

There was a time when it held ground but I feel like this look is now flawed. The business world is filled with crooks who only wears a tie to deceive or manipulate people into thinking that they can be trusted.

It's not about looking professional, it's about being professional. It's more important to be a man of your words than to look like one. I would rather have an honest politician in jeans than a dishonest one in a suit!

"But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."
- 1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV)

Professionalism is more about who you are than how things look. Focus on your heart as well as your physical appearance.

The Past Tense

I've always been in the impression that I was a really good artist. I trained everyday, practiced very hard to reach new plateaus and was very disciplined. My biggest competitor was myself and I was a worthy opponent.

I was sharp, I was quick, and I had great judgment. I was always around older more experienced artist and giving them a run for there money.

So to my surprise one day a student of mine asked a question in my animation class and I gave him an answer that I was pretty satisfied with but he wasn't.

He contested my answer and what was disturbing was not the fact that he challenged me. In fact I love challenges! What really got to me was the thought I had immediately after he challenged my answer. I thought to myself  "Tree years ago I would have really showed you what its all about!".

What?! Tree years ago!

Why was I having this feeling?

It's easy to live in the past. Notice I'm excessively using the word "was" in this post?

I knew deep down inside that I was out of practice. The truth came out and I just needed to be challenged to remind myself that I was out of practice.

Don't wait for others to challenge yourself because if you do you might wait for a long time and once they bring you back in the "now" you might not like what you see.

Instead, challenge yourself now. Remember what made you great during your best days and apply it in your life today. So that next time you are challenged you'll be ready!

What's the Origin of the Handshake?

The handshake is thought by some to have originated as a gesture of peace by demonstrating that the hands holds no weapons.

Archaeological ruins and ancient texts show that handshaking was practice in ancient Greece as far back as the 5th century BC.

Sources:
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handshake
-Picture from: http://www.morguefile.com/

Leaders must be Likeable

A leader must be likeable because no follower ever said "I hate him but I will follow him to the end." James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner (Authors of "A Leader's Legacy" book) said "The leaders people want to follow are the ones for who they have genuine affection."

Nobody is above The Golden Rule ("Do unto others as you would have them do unto you") especially not leaders. If you want people to want to follow you treat your following like you would like to be treated (or better).

Personality & Attitude

What's the difference between personality and attitude? The best answer I found is on Ask.com. See below:

"There are many differences between personality and attitude. Personality is something that is inherently a part of you. Attitude is a combination of your outlook and the way your perspective has been shaped by previous experiences." -Ask.com

A personality can be changed and controlled over time while attitude remains mainly a choice. Epictetus said "It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters." and how you react is entirely up to you.

Source:
http://www.ask.com/question/difference-between-personality-and-attitude

The Junto Club

The Junto club was established in 1727 by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia. Also known as the Leather Apron Club, its purpose was to debate questions of morals, politics and natural philosophy, and to exchange knowledge of business affairs.

"Franklin organized a group of friends to provide a structured form of mutual improvement. The group, initially composed of twelve members, called itself the Junto (the word is a mistaken use of the masculine singular Spanish adjective "joined", mistaken for the feminine singular noun "junta", "a meeting". Both derive from Latin "iunct-", past participle of "iungere", "to join"). The members of the Junto were drawn from diverse occupations and backgrounds, but they all shared a spirit of inquiry and a desire to improve themselves, their community, and to help others. Among the original members were printers, surveyors, a cabinetmaker, a clerk, and a bartender. Although most of the members were older than Franklin, he was clearly their leader. " -Wikipedia

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junto_(club)
http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/brush/ben.htm

*This post can also be found on my Personal Blog (Student of LIFE).

Happiness, Pleasure & Joy

“It is common to hear people say, “I just want to be happy.” And who does not? It’s certainly much better to be happy than sad. Good times are better to experience than bad. But pursuing happy is a little off the mark. It is like trying to grab smoke. Whenever we make happiness our goal, we set ourselves for a futile chase. First, we do something that we think will make us happy. Then, once that pleasure is through, we move on to the next. Usually, the pleasures have to escalate to continue to satisfy, and we find ourselves in an endless climb. From pleasure to pleasure we go, never really finding happiness.”

-From "Leadership: Tidbits and treasures" Self-Improvement book by Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward. Page 275

You don’t get happiness from pursuing happiness. What people pursue, when they say they pursue happiness, is pleasure and Orrin Woodward said that “Pleasure does not bring happiness; it only brings an increasing hunger for more pleasure.”

“The only way to get happy is to give happy.” –Chris Brady

Pleasure is the least fulfilling feeling of the 3 because it constantly needs to be worked on in order to keep the “high” and it doesn’t last very long.

Happiness is partly a choice. To choose to be happy is to see the positive side of things.

Joy is the ultimate form of happiness and comes from being at peace with yourself which is often only attainable through spirituality. While pleasure is often confused with happiness, Joy, on the other hand, isn’t. There is no doubt in your mind when Joy is felt and it can last a lifetime.

If you want fulfillment in your life, pursue Joy instead of happiness.

Questions & Actions

Intrinsic motivation, the eye on the prize being fully immerse, balance, happiness. That moment when you forget about everyone and everything around. That moment when there is only one clear path, ...one, clear, goal.

Wouldn't it be great if every task you did would be with full passion, concentration and clarity.

And what about the big picture? That true self vision of you. Wouldn't it be convenient if everything you did with that full passion lead you closer to him?

But we don’t have all the answers now do we?

I believe in practicing actions and in those actions lies answers.

I'm glad to join Men 2.0 and find out where these actions will take us.

~Brian

Men 2.0

There is no such thing as a "Pause" button in life. If we don't move forward, we move backwards. If we don't workout, we'll gain weight. If we don't work on our relationships, we'll loose them.
Change is the only constant in life and if we don't thrive to be better; we naturally become worse.

Here, at Men 2.0, we believe that we should always work on being the best "us" that we can be and we humbly invite you to join us on this journey.

See you there!
-Mathieu