Posted on December 9, 2014 by Robert Ringer
Happiness has been defined in myriad ways over the centuries by some of the world’s greatest thinkers. Aristotle described happiness as a condition rather than a destination. Ralph Waldo Emerson referred to it as a journey. But I believe Viktor Frankl got to the heart of the matter better than anyone when he explained that […]
Posted on December 4, 2014 by Robert Ringer
It’s often been said that business would be easy if you didn’t have to deal with people. How true. But, realistically speaking, you can’t expect to achieve your goals without interacting with, and receiving the help and cooperation of, other people. If you start a business, you need to deal with employees, suppliers, customers, regulatory […]
Posted on December 2, 2014 by Robert Ringer
I’ve long believed that, to one extent or another, every person on earth is an enigma. This doesn’t mean that everyone is a hypocrite, but in one of more areas of their lives, human beings are contradictions. For example, I’ve known people (me, for instance) who are fanatically organized in most areas of their life […]
Posted on November 29, 2014 by Robert Ringer
Whether it’s a career decision or how to handle a one-off problem, listening to too many opinions can be financially fatal. Every industry has its Discouragement Fraternity — people who go to great lengths to try to convince you that you can’t make it in their field. Because of their own insecurity, they are prepared […]
Posted on November 19, 2014 by Robert Ringer
Some time ago, I received an e-mail from subscriber John P. about a close call he had while driving when he was seventeen years old. Here’s part of what he had to say: There was no time to think, only to react. And there was no fear at all, until afterwards. It’s like I knew […]
Posted on November 13, 2014 by Robert Ringer
If you’re like me, you probably find card-carrying members of the AAA (American Association of Arrogance) hard to stomach. But it’s still a good idea to learn, even from those you find repugnant. What can you learn from these self-anointed saints? Answer: plenty. For the sake of brevity, I’ll mention just three of the most […]
Posted on November 10, 2014 by Robert Ringer
We are living through a period of human history when morality has become a passé topic. For that very reason, vigilance and self-discipline are in order, because morality is perhaps the most important element in leading a successful life. In that vein, the first step is to define your moral standards, because they serve as […]
Posted on October 31, 2014 by Robert Ringer
I have often heard it argued that reality is not an absolute, that each individual has his own perception of reality. The implication is that because each of us perceives the world through our own eyes, reality itself changes from person to person. While it’s true that everyone perceives reality differently, reality could care less […]
Posted on October 23, 2014 by Robert Ringer
In Erich Fromm’s 1956 classic The Art of Loving, he provides some unique insights into the subject of faith that have given me a lot to think about. Fromm did not believe faith is in opposition to reason or rational thinking. On the contrary, he simply made a distinction between rational faith and irrational faith. […]
Posted on October 21, 2014 by Robert Ringer
By dictionary definition, joy is “an emotion of great happiness.” I would be tempted to refer to it as ultimate happiness, but there is no accurate way to quantify either happiness or joy. The truth is that none of us can ever be certain of what constitutes ultimate happiness. Whatever it is, joy seems to […]
