We live in a world where people have stopped defining their self-worth by what they feel about themselves. People only want attention. It’s as if their value is defined by what strangers think of them rather than anything of real value.
From the woman twittering about the miscarriage she was having during a board meeting to the “Girls Gone Retarded” phenomenon, we are a society of people who want attention – regardless of whether it’s good or bad.
Psycho-babblers will tell you how it’s about low self-esteem and how these people weren’t loved by their daddy or not breastfed until age 17. People will make all kinds of excuses for this idiotic behavior, but let’s be honest about the true cause: there’s a market for it. When you read the People Magazine or US Weekly-type rages of the world, you are watching the glamorization of lunch and grocery-getting and taking kids to day care. None of these things are glamorous and Ashton Kutcher does not do his own groceries unless his publicist instructs him to do so. So to those who don’t have a healthy self-image, there is only one way to feel good about themselves; they must become famous – or infamous, whatever works. If you have no talent or relatives in the movie biz, you can always do something stupid like enter a wet T-shirt contest. If you’re a guy, you can be catapulted in a port-a-potty. Others will be happy to become porn “stars” and destroy any chance they have at a real life, because as every 19 year old know, you’re young forever and no one judges you by your actions.
Too many kids are growing up with the idea that if you’re not famous, you’re not valuable. They see Hannah Montana and believe it is their “dream” to be a famous singer. The trend of mothers sexualizing their little girls and hoodlumizing their little boys is leading to a future of bondage (not that kind of bondage – more like slavery.) Combined with the governmental emphasis on hating achievement, and maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to buy these kids English-Chinese dictionaries. It’s not to say children shouldn’t dream, but it is up to the parents to strike the delicate balance between encouraging children to dream and preparing them for a more modest, but more important, future.
Today’s posting was inspired by an acquaintance who recently quit her job. Rather than a resignation letter, she went “broken arrow” and wrote a scathing email to everyone in the company, from the CEO to the janitor, criticizing managers, co-workers and everyone in between. Was this necessary? No, of course not. You have the right to quit a job, but why burn dozens of bridges in the process? Would any of the other managers working there ever hire her if their paths crossed again? Of course not. So why’d she do it? Because she had to go down in a blaze of glory – a haze of stupidity is more accurate. She needed the attention and boy, did she get it. If she ever came to me for a job, she would have zero chance.
Forget screaming for attention and start earning respect. This is how success happens.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Day # 156 - Willingness
I’ve written on willingness before. The willingness to do whatever is necessary to achieve a goal will almost always ensure you don’t have to do everything necessary to achieve it. I work seven days a week. I have a full time job, run a small business, a large family, church, and I write this column, which may be the most challenging part of it all.
I am 39 years old and I have a great life. In many aspects, my life has been more successful than I could have expected, but I want more. I want meaning, as well as success. Sure, I want to make money and have nice stuff and security for my family, but that’s just not enough for me. If money was my only motivation, would I be writing this column? I don’t make money from it. It might pay off some day, but I would still do it even if I was sure it wouldn’t. Why? Because it is an exercise of will. I promised myself, and you, that I would spend a year without news and blog about the experience. The problem with that is that I don’t know how to write about what I am not doing. So, I write about my life and how this change is affecting me.
I recently killed my TV, which has given me more time to read. I’ve always been a reader, but now I can really tear through books. It’s amazing how you see the truth when you cut out the noise. I wasn’t a reader like I thought I was, like I wanted to be. I had to cut out the unproductive habit of watching news and noise to really kick my reading into overdrive. I had to be willing to make a radical change.
This is not to say I am no longer a hardcore capitalist. I am; to my very soul. I do not believe anything that I did not believe before beginning this project. My beliefs are the same. They are just more focused, more clearly defined; therefore they will better serve me.
You can accomplish anything, if you are willing to do whatever is necessary to reach your goal. You must be willing to change yourself, your situation, your life, and, especially your habits. Nothing is impossible unless you label it as such. Be willing to let go of those destructive little comforts, like complaining about every little inconvenience, like a line at Starbucks, or having to stop and gas up the car when you’re running late, or traffic, or filing, or whatever. There are things we all must do. Accept them and don’t give them any more mind than necessary. You must be willing to let go of the little attention-grabbing things. Let go of negative friends. Be willing to ignore the gossip and office chatter and instead, focus on your work – and then you’ll earn the promotion. Be willing to skip dessert – and then you’ll lose your love handles. Be willing to go through the pain of budgeting your money – and then you’ll stop worrying about paying the bills and saving for the future.
It all starts with willingness. Do you have the will? If you don’t, you have nothing.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
I am 39 years old and I have a great life. In many aspects, my life has been more successful than I could have expected, but I want more. I want meaning, as well as success. Sure, I want to make money and have nice stuff and security for my family, but that’s just not enough for me. If money was my only motivation, would I be writing this column? I don’t make money from it. It might pay off some day, but I would still do it even if I was sure it wouldn’t. Why? Because it is an exercise of will. I promised myself, and you, that I would spend a year without news and blog about the experience. The problem with that is that I don’t know how to write about what I am not doing. So, I write about my life and how this change is affecting me.
I recently killed my TV, which has given me more time to read. I’ve always been a reader, but now I can really tear through books. It’s amazing how you see the truth when you cut out the noise. I wasn’t a reader like I thought I was, like I wanted to be. I had to cut out the unproductive habit of watching news and noise to really kick my reading into overdrive. I had to be willing to make a radical change.
This is not to say I am no longer a hardcore capitalist. I am; to my very soul. I do not believe anything that I did not believe before beginning this project. My beliefs are the same. They are just more focused, more clearly defined; therefore they will better serve me.
You can accomplish anything, if you are willing to do whatever is necessary to reach your goal. You must be willing to change yourself, your situation, your life, and, especially your habits. Nothing is impossible unless you label it as such. Be willing to let go of those destructive little comforts, like complaining about every little inconvenience, like a line at Starbucks, or having to stop and gas up the car when you’re running late, or traffic, or filing, or whatever. There are things we all must do. Accept them and don’t give them any more mind than necessary. You must be willing to let go of the little attention-grabbing things. Let go of negative friends. Be willing to ignore the gossip and office chatter and instead, focus on your work – and then you’ll earn the promotion. Be willing to skip dessert – and then you’ll lose your love handles. Be willing to go through the pain of budgeting your money – and then you’ll stop worrying about paying the bills and saving for the future.
It all starts with willingness. Do you have the will? If you don’t, you have nothing.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Friday, October 29, 2010
Day # 155 - Tough Love
My daughter is in 2nd grade. She has a spelling test consisting of about 15 words each week. The teacher gives a pre-test on Wednesday s. If the student gets 100%, there is no second test. If they miss even one, they must take the test again on Friday. Our way of training Melissa has been to have her write each word twice. We dictate the words, she writes them. Afterwards, we review her work. Any misspelled or sloppily written words are rewritten three times. It’s why she’s batting .1000 in spelling.
This week, Melissa misspelled one word in the pre-test. I beat her with a rubber hose. Just kidding. I did, however, tell her we would do each word once. She wasn’t happy about it so she decided to skip ahead and work from memory instead of writing the words as I recited them. I made her start with a fresh sheet of paper and write each word twice. About six words into it, she again decided to go out on her own. I made her start with yet another fresh sheet of paper and write each word three times. I then warned her that if she did it again, I would have her write each word five times and we would stay up all night if necessary until she learned to follow my directions.
Melissa is a very bright kid. She is capable of great things. Sometimes, smart kids are the hard ones to manage because they get bored and they want to go out on their own, ahead of the teacher or the parent. I know, because I did the same thing at her age. Yes, in case you’re wondering, I used to be bright. The trouble was, my parents didn’t know exactly how to keep me in line. It wasn’t their fault, they just didn’t know.
I tend to be soft on my kids, but I am realizing that I am doing them no favors. I don’t need to be their best friend. They will have thousands of friends. They only have one father, and I have to make sure that that means something. Melissa was upset at my sternness, and part of me felt bad and wanted to ease up. I bit my tongue and stayed the course, almost afraid she would end up mad at me. When she finally finished the homework assignment, she went to play with George (our rabbit – yes, a rabbit. My house is turning into a zoo!) She then took a shower before going to sleep. She was completely fine, joking with me as she always does. She insisted on two good night kisses and asked for a glass of water. She told me she loved me and she went to bed. Good night, sweet angel.
The point is my relationship with my daughter was not damaged. She loves me as much as she would have if I had allowed her to skip homework and watch TV, but the love is being deposited in an interest-bearing account of sorts. Because I am being a father and not a buddy, she will love me more when she grows up. She will appreciate me more, and she will know that I was a part of the success I know she will ultimately achieve.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
This week, Melissa misspelled one word in the pre-test. I beat her with a rubber hose. Just kidding. I did, however, tell her we would do each word once. She wasn’t happy about it so she decided to skip ahead and work from memory instead of writing the words as I recited them. I made her start with a fresh sheet of paper and write each word twice. About six words into it, she again decided to go out on her own. I made her start with yet another fresh sheet of paper and write each word three times. I then warned her that if she did it again, I would have her write each word five times and we would stay up all night if necessary until she learned to follow my directions.
Melissa is a very bright kid. She is capable of great things. Sometimes, smart kids are the hard ones to manage because they get bored and they want to go out on their own, ahead of the teacher or the parent. I know, because I did the same thing at her age. Yes, in case you’re wondering, I used to be bright. The trouble was, my parents didn’t know exactly how to keep me in line. It wasn’t their fault, they just didn’t know.
I tend to be soft on my kids, but I am realizing that I am doing them no favors. I don’t need to be their best friend. They will have thousands of friends. They only have one father, and I have to make sure that that means something. Melissa was upset at my sternness, and part of me felt bad and wanted to ease up. I bit my tongue and stayed the course, almost afraid she would end up mad at me. When she finally finished the homework assignment, she went to play with George (our rabbit – yes, a rabbit. My house is turning into a zoo!) She then took a shower before going to sleep. She was completely fine, joking with me as she always does. She insisted on two good night kisses and asked for a glass of water. She told me she loved me and she went to bed. Good night, sweet angel.
The point is my relationship with my daughter was not damaged. She loves me as much as she would have if I had allowed her to skip homework and watch TV, but the love is being deposited in an interest-bearing account of sorts. Because I am being a father and not a buddy, she will love me more when she grows up. She will appreciate me more, and she will know that I was a part of the success I know she will ultimately achieve.
- Adolfo
http://ayearwithoutnews.blogspot.com
http://www.cakewhimsybyabdaliz.com
http://www.honeybeepartyrental.com
http://www.facebook.com/adolfojimenez1
http://www.twitter.com/adolfojimenez
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Day # 154 - It's the Stupid Economy (Again)
This economy is something unique to my generation (X if you’re wondering) in that we have never really felt a pinch. With any luck, it will define the generations that follow us who are living through it, but I have no real hope of that. I want to be clear, I am not wishing for the younger generations to suffer. I hope no one starves, but maybe we can learn to live without the extravagances.
I was born during the Nixon Administration. My first memories of grim economic realities were of gas lines and my father buying a gas cap with a lock on it. Jimmy Carter was in the White House and I was in the third grade and even then, we knew he was a moron. Then came Reagan, who picked people up. Unlike Carter, he believed in American Exceptionalism. He cut taxes and the economy boomed and we were all proud to be Americans. There was a little recession during the first Bush Administration which the administration didn’t know what to do about (nothing is the only correct answer) Clinton came along and there were some good years, Bush came along and things were good in spite of those who hated him and talked down the economy while stuffing their pockets. In 2008 it all came crashing down. People voted for hope, change, empty talk and inexperience and here we are: $13 trillion in debt and counting. Socialized medicine and a president who cannot admit he is a human being and has, apparently, never been wrong about anything in his entire life.
I no longer consume news. I occasionally make incidental contact with it. I walk past a newspaper dispenser, there are TVs all over my hotel and sometimes they’re tuned to news. News flashes on the radio sometimes catch me by surprise. Things are bad out there. I know, I am a sales guy and no one’s got any money to spend. I make my numbers, but I work harder than I would have had to for this result.
In the midst of this, I have finally learned the lessons my parents have tried to teach me for so long. You know the ones about rainy days and saving for the future and not being wasteful. It took me a while to make it my lifestyle. It took a while to do what I knew all along I should have been doing.
Parents are so afraid of their kids being unhappy that they will destroy their future. We fear saying no to them, we think punishing them will harm their precious self-esteem. We think when they throw a tantrum, it’s our fault. Actually, it is the parents’ fault if a kid throws a tantrum. The only forgivable offense is the first one. After that, whip the hell out of the kid if necessary, or, for the PC crowd, make it a teachable moment (I talk tough, but I never hit my kids, I don’t have to.) Teach your kids the essentials and they will thank you one day. Let them earn their own self-esteem. Self-esteem should be the result of a job well done, not of failure. Yes, kids fail. Yes, they should be told when they are wrong. Put another way, if you want those $200 jeans, get a job and buy them yourself.
Save your pennies and get your kids in on it. Or, learn to speak Chinese. Write to your members of Congress and tell them to treat your money the way they treat their own. This is not a Ripofflican versus Dumassocrat thing, this is an American thing. Both sides are crooked as a barrel of snakes and every one of them needs to be sent home, replaced by new, less crooked snakes. Don’t believe in the “benevolence” of government – it’s a fallacy. Join organizations created to keep government honest. Vote for term-limits and support those organizations, too.
Vote on November 2nd. I am officially endorsing the non-incumbent in every race in the country. You wanted change? Go get it yourself.
- Adolfo
I was born during the Nixon Administration. My first memories of grim economic realities were of gas lines and my father buying a gas cap with a lock on it. Jimmy Carter was in the White House and I was in the third grade and even then, we knew he was a moron. Then came Reagan, who picked people up. Unlike Carter, he believed in American Exceptionalism. He cut taxes and the economy boomed and we were all proud to be Americans. There was a little recession during the first Bush Administration which the administration didn’t know what to do about (nothing is the only correct answer) Clinton came along and there were some good years, Bush came along and things were good in spite of those who hated him and talked down the economy while stuffing their pockets. In 2008 it all came crashing down. People voted for hope, change, empty talk and inexperience and here we are: $13 trillion in debt and counting. Socialized medicine and a president who cannot admit he is a human being and has, apparently, never been wrong about anything in his entire life.
I no longer consume news. I occasionally make incidental contact with it. I walk past a newspaper dispenser, there are TVs all over my hotel and sometimes they’re tuned to news. News flashes on the radio sometimes catch me by surprise. Things are bad out there. I know, I am a sales guy and no one’s got any money to spend. I make my numbers, but I work harder than I would have had to for this result.
In the midst of this, I have finally learned the lessons my parents have tried to teach me for so long. You know the ones about rainy days and saving for the future and not being wasteful. It took me a while to make it my lifestyle. It took a while to do what I knew all along I should have been doing.
Parents are so afraid of their kids being unhappy that they will destroy their future. We fear saying no to them, we think punishing them will harm their precious self-esteem. We think when they throw a tantrum, it’s our fault. Actually, it is the parents’ fault if a kid throws a tantrum. The only forgivable offense is the first one. After that, whip the hell out of the kid if necessary, or, for the PC crowd, make it a teachable moment (I talk tough, but I never hit my kids, I don’t have to.) Teach your kids the essentials and they will thank you one day. Let them earn their own self-esteem. Self-esteem should be the result of a job well done, not of failure. Yes, kids fail. Yes, they should be told when they are wrong. Put another way, if you want those $200 jeans, get a job and buy them yourself.
Save your pennies and get your kids in on it. Or, learn to speak Chinese. Write to your members of Congress and tell them to treat your money the way they treat their own. This is not a Ripofflican versus Dumassocrat thing, this is an American thing. Both sides are crooked as a barrel of snakes and every one of them needs to be sent home, replaced by new, less crooked snakes. Don’t believe in the “benevolence” of government – it’s a fallacy. Join organizations created to keep government honest. Vote for term-limits and support those organizations, too.
Vote on November 2nd. I am officially endorsing the non-incumbent in every race in the country. You wanted change? Go get it yourself.
- Adolfo
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Day # 153 - Turn and Face the Strange... Changes
Self-awareness can be liberating and it leads to new challenges. I think knowing my flaws, and knowing what my goals are, is leading me headlong into becoming the man I am meant to be. The road is long but not lonely. The task is enormous but not daunting. I know that when this year is up, I will not be near the end. I know that fifty years from now, I will still not be complete. I may be finished by then, but by no means complete. I have decided to approach my life the way a painter approaches the canvas, knowing that whatever I do, it will never be complete – only abandoned. This abandonment will take place when I am returned to the dust this crude matter that is my body came from.
This works out well for me because I am enjoying the process. I enjoy the challenge of improving myself. I appreciate that this process forces me to look in the mirror and be honest with myself. I enjoy listening to the voice of God in the early morning hours when the dog and I are the only ones awake in the house and the only sound comes from his feet on the tile floor, the ticking of the clock in the kitchen, the hum of the refrigerator, and the clicking of the keys beneath my fingers as I write. I enjoy knowing that when I complete this essay, I will write in my journal and read my bible and pray for a while. I enjoy knowing that I will have accomplished this before the rest of my house and most of the eastern seaboard has woken up. It is 4:26AM right now and all I hear is the voice of God.
I feel a calling in my life. One I am pursuing. I am confiding in the people I love and trust, one at a time, seeking guidance and support. But mostly, it is God who I am turning to. I am not trying to preach to you, I am sharing the profound, peaceful experience I am going through. I feel different every day. I feel better. I feel more complete than I ever thought possible (even as I know completeness is an unattainable goal.)
Ayn Rand said, “I am therefore I think.” This has become something of a mantra for me. I have always been a thinker of sorts. I have always been intellectually curious. I think this is now starting to really mean something in my life. It is starting to matter more than it ever has. Intellectuality is no longer a pointless exercise. I have never been one to sit in coffee shops engaged in ridiculous conversations about the meaning of life or other existential nonsense. I was always a pragmatist and my pragmatism is what is leading me now. Take a few minutes this morning or whenever you can, to think, or to not think, or to pray. Shut out the noise for a while and listen to the voice of God. It will be soft and silent and deep inside your being. You’ll hear it in the rustling of leaves and the barking of dogs. You’ll hear it in the laughter of children and in drops of rain. You won’t hear it on TV or on the radio. God doesn’t sound like Lady Gaga. God sounds like us. He sounds like life. He sounds like peace. He sounds like the answers you are seeking, even when you don’t know you’re seeking them.
- Adolfo
This works out well for me because I am enjoying the process. I enjoy the challenge of improving myself. I appreciate that this process forces me to look in the mirror and be honest with myself. I enjoy listening to the voice of God in the early morning hours when the dog and I are the only ones awake in the house and the only sound comes from his feet on the tile floor, the ticking of the clock in the kitchen, the hum of the refrigerator, and the clicking of the keys beneath my fingers as I write. I enjoy knowing that when I complete this essay, I will write in my journal and read my bible and pray for a while. I enjoy knowing that I will have accomplished this before the rest of my house and most of the eastern seaboard has woken up. It is 4:26AM right now and all I hear is the voice of God.
I feel a calling in my life. One I am pursuing. I am confiding in the people I love and trust, one at a time, seeking guidance and support. But mostly, it is God who I am turning to. I am not trying to preach to you, I am sharing the profound, peaceful experience I am going through. I feel different every day. I feel better. I feel more complete than I ever thought possible (even as I know completeness is an unattainable goal.)
Ayn Rand said, “I am therefore I think.” This has become something of a mantra for me. I have always been a thinker of sorts. I have always been intellectually curious. I think this is now starting to really mean something in my life. It is starting to matter more than it ever has. Intellectuality is no longer a pointless exercise. I have never been one to sit in coffee shops engaged in ridiculous conversations about the meaning of life or other existential nonsense. I was always a pragmatist and my pragmatism is what is leading me now. Take a few minutes this morning or whenever you can, to think, or to not think, or to pray. Shut out the noise for a while and listen to the voice of God. It will be soft and silent and deep inside your being. You’ll hear it in the rustling of leaves and the barking of dogs. You’ll hear it in the laughter of children and in drops of rain. You won’t hear it on TV or on the radio. God doesn’t sound like Lady Gaga. God sounds like us. He sounds like life. He sounds like peace. He sounds like the answers you are seeking, even when you don’t know you’re seeking them.
- Adolfo
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Day # 152 - Discovery
This journey has led to self-discovery, which was not unexpected. I knew that I would learn something about myself in this time of refocusing. I had no idea what to expect and that’s really what’s been the best part. Every day has been an opportunity to learn something new, about life, about people, and about myself. I find that God is using me in ways I never thought He would, and all I can say is that I want more of it. I find myself wanting to help others, wanting to be more for others, wanting to be more than I’ve ever been before.
I find myself waking up to pray and ask for guidance as the journey becomes more challenging. I find myself shifting from ambition to meaning. I want to help others even more than I want to help myself. I am becoming a secondary consideration in my own life and I have never felt better about myself. I feel as if I have discovered a new facet of my being and I am as excited as a parent holding a newborn. I am excited about the possibilities and the promises I am holding in my hands and I am humbled by the responsibility. I do not feel complete, and I doubt I ever will, but I feel as if my direction is clearer than ever. I feel like I finally have someplace to go, even if I don’t know where it is.
I feel a love in my heart I never felt before. I feel as if anger is leaving my universe, leaving only room for love and fellowship. I think I may be growing up – shocking to those who know me but somehow true nonetheless. Now, all I can think about is continuing to grow and finding ways to share what I am feeling and learning every day. I am not yet a man in full, but I am getting there. Every day in every way, I improve just a little bit. Every day I get closer to my potential. This is an exciting time. I can’t sleep and wake up energized and I love every moment of the day, even the moments I should be hating. I wish everyone can experience this.
Hopefully, I’ll help people discover this for themselves. This is too good not to
share.
- Adolfo
I find myself waking up to pray and ask for guidance as the journey becomes more challenging. I find myself shifting from ambition to meaning. I want to help others even more than I want to help myself. I am becoming a secondary consideration in my own life and I have never felt better about myself. I feel as if I have discovered a new facet of my being and I am as excited as a parent holding a newborn. I am excited about the possibilities and the promises I am holding in my hands and I am humbled by the responsibility. I do not feel complete, and I doubt I ever will, but I feel as if my direction is clearer than ever. I feel like I finally have someplace to go, even if I don’t know where it is.
I feel a love in my heart I never felt before. I feel as if anger is leaving my universe, leaving only room for love and fellowship. I think I may be growing up – shocking to those who know me but somehow true nonetheless. Now, all I can think about is continuing to grow and finding ways to share what I am feeling and learning every day. I am not yet a man in full, but I am getting there. Every day in every way, I improve just a little bit. Every day I get closer to my potential. This is an exciting time. I can’t sleep and wake up energized and I love every moment of the day, even the moments I should be hating. I wish everyone can experience this.
Hopefully, I’ll help people discover this for themselves. This is too good not to
share.
- Adolfo
Monday, October 25, 2010
Day # 151 - Of Luck and Faith
I was a superstitious person. I used to believe that it was bad to spill salt, or break a mirror. I would cross the street to avoid a black cat and was convinced that Friday the 13th was not just another day on the calendar. Then, a couple of years ago, it dawned on me: Superstition is the absence of faith. Superstition is the absence of self-confidence. I eliminated superstition from my life just like that. No more fear of jinxing myself. No more fear of things beyond my control. No more ancient stupidity influencing my life, my decisions, my behavior.
Since I made the switch from superstition to faith, I sleep better (not that I sleep much – although this won’t be published very early, I am writing at 5:40AM and I have been awake for about an hour.) I don’t worry about dumb things, and now I avoid cats because I am allergic to them, not because they are the guardians of the underworld or bringers of bad luck. I do not believe faith should lead to inaction. I believe one must be active in faith as in anything else in life. Having faith doesn’t mean you sit on the couch and wait for the lottery. It means you go confidently in the direction of your dreams. It means you live fearlessly, deliberately.
Too often, we believe that good things will come if we are patient and we are good. It’s better than being impatient and bad, but it’s not enough. Be a decent person, be a good and patient person – and then work yourself as hard as you can.
If you want a college degree, how many ways can you get it? That’s right: there’s only one way to earn a college degree. Why should a million dollars be any different? Why should a thriving marriage be any different? Why should good kids or success in life be any different? We look at people who have a healthy marriage and tell ourselves they are lucky. We see someone in a nice car, pulling into a nice house, and we say, what a lucky guy! Arnold Palmer said: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” (I think it was Arnold Palmer.)
In spite of what the government is trying to convince you of, successful people are not evil and they are not lucky. 80% of the millionaires in the US are first-generation rich. Are you going to tell me those people are all lucky? Sure, some people seem to get breaks they don’t deserve. Maybe that’s because while you think they don’t deserve the break, they believe they are entitled to the break, and as I’ve written before, dear reader: you will meet yourself at your expectations.
Trade in your luck for faith. My faith is in God, and it works great for me. If you don’t want to accept that you are not some cosmic accident, have faith in yourself, or in Zeus, or in the trees, and see how it works for you. Release the superstitions and embrace the spiritual. Take control of your life and stop wasting salt by throwing it over your shoulder. Decide your own destiny and resolve to live the best life you can. The life you are meant to live.
God bless you. Make it a great day because only you can.
- Adolfo
Since I made the switch from superstition to faith, I sleep better (not that I sleep much – although this won’t be published very early, I am writing at 5:40AM and I have been awake for about an hour.) I don’t worry about dumb things, and now I avoid cats because I am allergic to them, not because they are the guardians of the underworld or bringers of bad luck. I do not believe faith should lead to inaction. I believe one must be active in faith as in anything else in life. Having faith doesn’t mean you sit on the couch and wait for the lottery. It means you go confidently in the direction of your dreams. It means you live fearlessly, deliberately.
Too often, we believe that good things will come if we are patient and we are good. It’s better than being impatient and bad, but it’s not enough. Be a decent person, be a good and patient person – and then work yourself as hard as you can.
If you want a college degree, how many ways can you get it? That’s right: there’s only one way to earn a college degree. Why should a million dollars be any different? Why should a thriving marriage be any different? Why should good kids or success in life be any different? We look at people who have a healthy marriage and tell ourselves they are lucky. We see someone in a nice car, pulling into a nice house, and we say, what a lucky guy! Arnold Palmer said: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” (I think it was Arnold Palmer.)
In spite of what the government is trying to convince you of, successful people are not evil and they are not lucky. 80% of the millionaires in the US are first-generation rich. Are you going to tell me those people are all lucky? Sure, some people seem to get breaks they don’t deserve. Maybe that’s because while you think they don’t deserve the break, they believe they are entitled to the break, and as I’ve written before, dear reader: you will meet yourself at your expectations.
Trade in your luck for faith. My faith is in God, and it works great for me. If you don’t want to accept that you are not some cosmic accident, have faith in yourself, or in Zeus, or in the trees, and see how it works for you. Release the superstitions and embrace the spiritual. Take control of your life and stop wasting salt by throwing it over your shoulder. Decide your own destiny and resolve to live the best life you can. The life you are meant to live.
God bless you. Make it a great day because only you can.
- Adolfo
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