The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you lived and lived well.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Sunday, August 31, 2008
True Joy
This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
--George Bernard Shaw
--George Bernard Shaw
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Something Truly Remarkable
"Perhaps the most startling truth about human nature is that anyone can do something truly remarkable in life if he or she has something truly remarkable to do. Once you decide what you really want, the rest falls into place. You awaken each morning with a reason to get out of bed. Your days are filled with meaning because you fill them with meaningful work. You are able to take advantage of your talents, your time, and your opportunities because you have a purpose."
--Keith Ellis
The Magic Lamp: Goal Setting for People Who Hate Setting Goals
--Keith Ellis
The Magic Lamp: Goal Setting for People Who Hate Setting Goals
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Love or perish
Some thirty years ago, back in the 70s, I first entered the hallowed halls of the Scottish Rite Temple in San Francisco. What a glorious building that is, and what a glorious quotation it has proudly displayed in large letters on one of its walls:
"What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal."
--Albert Pine
Long after first encountering magnificent sentiment, it remains one of my all-time favorite sayings. To my mind, that quote is as noble as it is elegant. And what a guiding light it provides for all! If the world were to take note and take it to heart, the salvation of the planet might yet be attainable. Without such a vision, I fear the people will indeed perish. "Love or perish -- that is the law."
"What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal."
--Albert Pine
Long after first encountering magnificent sentiment, it remains one of my all-time favorite sayings. To my mind, that quote is as noble as it is elegant. And what a guiding light it provides for all! If the world were to take note and take it to heart, the salvation of the planet might yet be attainable. Without such a vision, I fear the people will indeed perish. "Love or perish -- that is the law."
Friday, May 2, 2008
Helping Others
The Power of Purpose by Peter S. Temes opens with a bang:
"Can there really be a secret weapon, a special hook, an inside secret that the most joyful and successful people know and the rest of us don't? The answer is yes, and here it is: the more you focus on helping others, the more you will succeed in reaching your own goals. Helping others is the most direct and effective way to reach your goals in your personal relationships, at work, and in your community. There is no better or rewarding purpose you can find each day, and no more practical tool for getting where you want to go."
"Can there really be a secret weapon, a special hook, an inside secret that the most joyful and successful people know and the rest of us don't? The answer is yes, and here it is: the more you focus on helping others, the more you will succeed in reaching your own goals. Helping others is the most direct and effective way to reach your goals in your personal relationships, at work, and in your community. There is no better or rewarding purpose you can find each day, and no more practical tool for getting where you want to go."
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