Posted on December 20, 2014 by Robert Ringer
Gluttony is defined as “excessive eating and drinking.” But, metaphorically speaking, just about anything one does in excess is gluttonous. Gluttony should not be confused with greed, which is an “excessive” desire to acquire wealth or material things. Everyone is greedy. That’s what motivates people to produce better products and services for others. They know […]
Posted on December 16, 2014 by Robert Ringer
Choice can be a very complicated subject. Are you or are you not a victim of your own choices? Do bad choices always lead to a person’s downfall? Do good choices always lead to success, even in the face of enormous obstacles? I generally agree that where we are at any given point in time is primarily […]
Posted on December 11, 2014 by Robert Ringer
The reason I have never bought a lottery ticket is that I don’t want to soil my belief system with fantasies of striking it rich through pure luck. Lotteries are perhaps the ultimate free-lunch delusion, which is why they are a favored method of taxation by governments throughout the world. Sooner or later, anyone who […]
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 […]
