A parable: Comfort and Riches

Because I enjoyed this story so much, I wanted to share it with you. It was originally posted by Stuart at: http://thechangeyourlifeblog.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/the-comfort-riches-parable/

A poor man reached middle age without becoming the success he envisioned as a young man. He decided early the next morning he would ask a rich friend of his what the secret of success was.

The rich friend pointed down a rough path near the edge of town and said walk down that path and you will find the answer. Trusting his friend, the poor man set off down that rough path.

He walked and walked in the hot sun, on and on until he had blisters on his heels. The path twisted this way then that through some low hills, never giving him a good view of how far there was to go. The path was so rough he lost his footing a few times, but he kept on going.

As he turned a bend he saw a sign on the side of the path. As he drew nearer he saw that it said: ‘Not far to go now.’ Encouraged, he continued walking.

A little further he saw another sign that read: ‘Keep going.’ He felt a renewed sense of energy and determination even though he was hot and exhausted.

A little while later he came upon a third sign saying: ‘Nearly there.’ A little stream ran alongside and he decided to take some refreshment before continuing.

After many more hours he sat down for a rest. He was in real discomfort and his ehthusiasm was beginning to wane. Sign after sign had urged him onwards but still he could not see the answer to success. ‘My so called friend has played a joke on me.’ he thought. The answer is not down this path. There’s only discomfort, frustration and endless false promises down this path.

At that moment he decided to head back home and give his rich friend a piece of his mind for making him look like a fool.

Meanwhile, the rich man was sitting on the porch of his beautiful country home waiting for his friend to arrive. A cool glass of lemonade in his hand and an expectant smile on his face.

He waited and waited, until eventually the sun started going down. Disappointed, he walked across the lawn and up to the gate of his house. He opened it and walked down the rough path that ran near a little stream. He stopped at the sign he had erected there. The sign read: ‘You’re here.’

He gazed one last time down the long and winding path but there was no sign of his friend.

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.“

~ Calvin Coolidge

Working hard or hardly working?

Cosmetics Industrialist Helena Rubinstein

“The things I’ve done in my life have required a lot of years of work before they took off.”

~ Steve Jobs

“I believe in hard work. It keeps the wrinkles out of the mind and spirit.”

~ Helena Rubinstein

Working hard has been my way life for the past 30+ years. It wasn’t my original plan from the beginning, but life often has its own plan that has nothing to do with our own plans. Looking back at the past 30 years and thinking about all the personal pain, crushed dreams, sadness, loss of money, and bittersweet victories I’ve experienced, I can honestly say that all of them have made me what I am today — a more complete man. All of us are a result of all the many things we have experienced in our lives. And according to some, we are exactly where we are supposed to be right at this moment. The one thing that has kept me pushing on when I felt like giving up was the fact that I’ve had an able mind and body. As long as we have the ability to move forward in this world, we should! This is the only way you will ever see the rewards from all your efforts and perseverance. Things take time that are really worth obtaining. So, don’t be afraid to work hard and endure the pains along the way. It’s actually good for you! You just might end up becoming more beautiful intellectually and spiritually from it.

You missed a spot!

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Let everyone sweep in front of his own door and the whole world will be clean.”

~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Everyone is so concerned about how everyone else is living their lives that they forget how terrible theirs is. If everyone paid more attention to their own problems and affairs they would begin to see a better world that was brighter, happier, cleaner and less problematic. Focus on what is going on right before you and how you can make it a better environment for all who are around it and you’ll be more concerned about keeping it that way instead of complaining about all the dirt in other people’s lives. Before you tell other’s to clean up their lives, take the mud out of your eyes and sweep the dirt from your path. Make a conscience effort starting today to clean up your own life! Then, the world will be a cleaner place. Did I get that spot?

Mistakes = more opportunities

Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)

“Opportunity often comes in disguised in the form of
misfortune, or temporary defeat.”

~ Napoleon Hill

“What is defeat? Nothing but education. Nothing but the first step to something better.”

~ Wendell Phillips

Make a mistake and consider yourself more educated. Smart people learn from making mistakes. Mistakes are nothing more than something not going exactly as you or someone else had planned. Since life and humans are not perfect, we must accept our imperfections in the form of errors, mistakes, sins, etc. Remember, if you’re not making mistakes in life, then you’re not trying hard enough. The biggest mistake in life is to not admit you made one.

Give up to gain

W.E.B. Du Bois c.1911

“The most important thing to remember is this: To be ready at any moment to give up what you are for what you might become.”

~ W.E.B. Du Bois

Do you want to become something different than you are right now? No matter the change you want from yourself, you’ll need to give up something in order for the change to occur in your life. It might be something perplexing, like removing yourself from a circle of close friends, or having to choose something that would anger a longtime friend. When considering a change to make in your life, always do what is best for you in the long run. Why the selfish action? Because no one cares for you as much or knows you better as you do yourself. Being selfish sometimes is not bad as long as it benefits one or more people in a spiritually positive manner. If there isn’t anything spiritually-related to your selfish act, then it is truly selfish since it is done just for personal gain. Personal evolvement is made with proper progress requiring good judgment at precise moments. 

Protective coating

Crest of Integrity

“Confidence on the outside begins by living with integrity on the inside.”

~ Brian Tracy

Confidence without integrity is nothing more than arrogance. Integrity is the key ingredient for anyone wanting to live a life that’s beyond reproach, and is esteemed, honorable, and desirable.  If you want a strong coat of confidence to help you through life, you need to be full of integrity to the very core of your existence. This combination gives you something that is untouchable and enviable; so do all you can to build yourself into someone who is known for doing the right things at the right time to the right people. Right on!

The long and short of it

“You must have long-range goals to keep you from being
frustrated by short-range failures.”

~ Charles C. Noble

It is so important to keep this thought in mind when you are faced with a difficulty so that you can look beyond the failure and keep your eyes fixed on the goal. Even if you fail 18 times, you keep going until you reach success. That’s what perseverance is all about, and in life you need lots and lots of it.  Don’t give up on something until you have nothing left to give; and always keep your eyes on the big picture. Never settle for less unless it satisfies your original intention. Overcome your failures and you’ll be a winner!

Know when to say NO

Abraham Joshua Heschel

“Self-respect is the root of discipline: The sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.”

~ Abraham Joshua Heschel

Saying “no” to yourself can be one of the hardest things to do sometimes. When was the last time you refused to not eat that meal that was not healthy for you; or not to accept doing something that was illegal or unscrupulous that would of put a lot of money in your pocket? When you learn to say “no” to yourself, then you can say “no” to others in a more meaningful manner. Just be sure and know when it’s the right time to say “no” and when it’s the right time to say “yes.” When you say “no” you need to mean it; when you say “yes” you need to meant it. This will help you to be looked at as a more dignified and respected person.

What makes you a good person?

Arthur Schopenhauer

“What a man is contributes much more to his happiness than what he has, or how he is regarded by others.”

~ Arthur Schopenhauer

The key thing to understand about this quote is what the exact meaning of “What a man is” is. By what methods do we measure someone to classify them as someone who is a good person or not? To me, it all comes down to one thing: “You have only one life to live here on earth, so you must do as much as you can to improve the lives of other people.” You don’t have to be super-rich or famous to do this; you just need a giving heart. It’s not about how much money you make in your life that you’ll be judged by, or how attractive you are, or even how popular you are to other people. Making a real indelible difference in this world is done by people who give whatever they can – money, talent, time, energy, etc. to help others be better people. This is how people should be judged in the end. 

For better or for worse?

“Instead of always harping on a man’s faults, tell him of his virtues. Try to pull him out of his rut of bad habits. Hold up to him his better self, his real self that can dare and do and win out.” 

~ Eleanor Porter (1868-1920) American Novelist

It’s just as easy to build someone up as it is to tear someone down. It takes the same amount of energy and action using words and intention to help someone for the better or the worse. All it takes is the right attitude. Next time you’re faced with the opportunity to help or hurt someone, try your best to help them. You’ll notice that is wasn’t all that difficult to do and you’ll probably enjoy it. The good Karma will bring you welcome benefits that you never expected which will encourage you to give more and do better at helping others. Remember, it’s far better to give than to receive.

How to improve yourself

“Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours.”

~ Swedish Proverb

Words to live by for certain. Everyone wants all the good things in life but few are able to do what it takes to earn them. If you start by integrating all the suggestions listed in the quote above into your life, then you will be on your way to a life filled with more of the good things. Remember, we must give up some things in life to gain other things we desire which sometimes turns out better for us if we are true to ourselves and don’t hurt others along the way.

Rise to glory and virtue

Benjamin Franklin

“Natural ability without education has more often raised a man to glory and virtue than education without natural ability.”

~ Cicero

There is no better example of someone rising to glory and virtue based on natural ability than Benjamin Franklin, the great American statesman, scientist, musician, author, printer, inventor, businessman, politician, diplomat, father and husband. He was one of 17 children, born to a poor family, quit school at 10 years of age and was never formally educated. Benjamin was able to take his natural ability and turn it into greatness which was best manifested in his written contributions to the Declaration of Independence and to the US Constitution. These two works are considered to be two of the most important documents ever written by man. In my life, I could only hope to achieve a fraction of what Mr. Franklin achieved in his life. I will do my best to achieve some greatness in my life that benefits others for generations. Why don’t you try doing the same.

From necessary to impossible

St. Francis of Assisi (circa 1182-1220)

“Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

~ Francis of Assisi

Have you ever considered something and thought it was too difficult or even impossible to do? Then, as your in the middle of doing that very something, you realize that you can actually accomplish it. This is how the impossible is done – by putting forth physical effort along with lots of passion and unending desire. With the right combination of these forces at work, there are only two things that can stop you: yourself and death. So, before you say “that’s impossible!” – say I can “conceive it, believe it, see it, achieve it.”

Happiness comes from you

“Happiness is mostly a by-product of doing what makes us feel fulfilled.”

~ Dr. Benjamin Spock

“Happiness is essentially a state of going somewhere, wholeheartedly, one-directionally, without regret or reservation.”

~ William H. Sheldon

Happiness is wonderful to attain and obtain in life which is why Thomas Jefferson declared the pursuit of happiness a “certain unalienable right” in the Declaration of Independence. But it seems that many people today think that happiness is something that we get from others by how they perceive us. Or, they base their happiness by what they see in the media, movies and lifestyle trends.  No matter how the world defines happiness, the only thing that should matter to you is what makes you happy. Spending time with your family and friends doing simple things together, gardening, reading in the park, enjoying a trip to a far away place, writing a book, helping others, treating yourself to something nice, or daydreaming are just a few ways that you can find happiness in your daily life. So, stop listening to what everyone else tells you what happiness is and just try to enjoy all the things you do in your life. Then, you will know what true happiness is and gain lasting fulfillment in your life. Smile and define your own happiness!

Little, small, tiny = BIG

Give 'til it hurts!

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

~ Robert Brault

You’ve probably heard the phrase: “Don’t sweat the small stuff, because life is full of small stuff.” The same applies to enjoying all the small things in life because life is full of small things. In fact, in life, it’s all the small things that add up to be the biggest things we cherish and remember the most. When you receive many small gifts over time from someone you care for, it always means more to you than if you received one large gift at once. The reason is that you have more memories from all the moments you received those small gifts which leave a pleasant thought in your mind. If you receive one big gift, the memory is short-lived even though it might be a very special gift. So, as you live your life, learn to enjoy the little things and attach a nice memory to them so that you can relish all of them as if it were the biggest thing that ever happened to you in your life. The secret to this is to be able to recognize when the little things come into your life, otherwise they could become unhappy big things. Give freely and give often!

Changing me, changing you

“You cannot add to the peace and good will of the world if you fail to create an atmosphere of harmony and love right where you live and work.”

~ Thomas Dreier

The only way to change the world is to change yourself – either with your attitude towards it or by affecting others to change according to what you want changed. We are only able to create changes if we can multiply our intellectual, spiritual, and physical powers. If you’re not able to do this, then you will only end up changing yourself which is probably the most important and difficult person to change of all. Remember, we are but a single being among billions from all walks of life, so changing the world must be accomplished by influencing millions of people. 

Love is all you need

“Everything is clearer when you’re in love.”

~ John Lennon

There’s no doubt that being in love makes you feel more certain about yourself as a person. You have more confidence, more ambition, more happiness, even more emotional clarity, all of which make you feel stronger. It’s a beautiful feeling when you’re in love but love can be blind and we can lose sight of the path we intended to travel with the one we fell in love with. When you’re with someone who doesn’t cloud your vision and/or steer you off your desired path, then you know you’re in love with the right person. Just always remember to always make sure you’re in love for all the right reasons so that your path is defined and clear and not clouded with uncertain emotions. Lucidity is key while in love.

John & Yoko

John Lennon

John and Yoko

Nobility is more honorable than wealth

“Waste your money and you’re only out of money, but waste your time and you’ve lost part of your life.”

~ Michael Leboeuf

Even though money can be hard to acquire and even harder to keep, you can always get more of it if you’re resourceful enough. Getting more time is an impossibility and is one of the very things money cannot buy more of. So, try doing more with your time that will leave a lasting impression with many people instead of doing more with your money that probably will only benefit you. If you give more of your time and money, then you will leave a legacy that is to be desired. Remember to have enough money to last a lifetime.

The window to your soul

“You can find on the outside only what you possess on the inside.”

~ Adolfo Montiel Ballesteros

If you want to know what someone is really like, just watch them when they are at their worst. When under pressure, or when things aren’t going their way, are they calm, patient, thoughtful, careful, quiet or considerate? Or, are they irritable, immature, boisterous, mean, selfish, and unpleasant. To know what someone is like on the inside takes time and a willingness to sincerely want to see into their heart. Make sure you take the time when getting to know someone so you can see the real them. Words and actions are often a mask of deception or an exercise of acting. What you see in life and in people isn’t always what you get, and visa versa.

The blame game

“A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame someone else.”

~ John Burroughs

If you want something done the way you want it done, then do it yourself. That way, if it wasn’t done according to the way you wanted it, you only have yourself to blame. We are responsible for ourselves in this life and we shouldn’t be pointing fingers at others for not doing what we should of done ourselves. Just because something you did wasn’t done right doesn’t mean that you failed, so keep trying until you get it right. Just make sure you only blame yourself if you can’t. Failure shouldn’t be an option if you keep trying.