The Challenge To Succeed

So much has been written about success that one often gets confused about what success is all about. Success is such a personal thing that it may mean different things to different people. Yet we need to have a simple definition which should apply to all successful people and situations. The ultimate purpose of being successful is to take pride in one's achievements and be happy; and I think one of the best description has been put forward by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

"To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people

and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics

and endure the betrayal of false friends

To appreciate beauty;

To find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by

a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived;

This is to have succeeded."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Here is the simplicity with which such a complex subject like success has been explained . If we just analyze every line we would realize that each aspect adds up to a value leading up to a successful life.

And this is the challenge of success. To have such values as to 'laugh often' or 'to find the best in others' is being successful. So simple yet when we look at ourselves and all around us we will find very few people laughing often or appreciating beauty.

The other day I met a young person working for a social organization on lowly wages hardly eking out a decent living. But what I found amazing was he talked very positively and with love to everyone he met, and he met a lot of people on our short walk. There was no bitterness in him because of his economic status nor any disgust for his work which paid him low wages. He did his work with great love.When I praised him for his positive and sunny nature he was thrilled and became a great friend though we had just met an hour back and went out of the way to help me with my assignment.

It is often the most difficult thing to praise anyone. We may admire so many people and their work but fail to give credit openly or acknowledge and praise the persons concerned.

This is what I did and it was a win win day for both of us. Now let us just think about how much success can be achieved in a day if we follow all of Emerson's success formula.

The challenge of success is to follow the simple values. The few simple things in life will always account for the major successes in our life. It is not to suggest that there are only these simple ideas that would affect our successes but it is our focus on the simple things that will have the greatest impact in our lives. What we read above of Emerson's words are proven wisdom that have flowed down for centuries but yet retained their ageless and timeless relevance.

While success training is becoming more and more complex with new programs with fancy success matrixes or best sellers being touted as the ultimate answer, hitting us everyday, I invite you all to look at the challenge of understanding the simple yet powerful wisdom of the the great thinkers such as Emerson.

About The Author

R.G. Srinivasan is a certified trainer and a management consultant. He is the author of e-books, publishes 3 blogs on health, Home Business and management. He is also a widely published author. Check out his blog at http://home-businessresources.blogspot.com

The Atlantic

'Hysteria' Turns the Vibrator Into Inspirational Cinema The Atlantic Wexler and screenwriters Stephen Dyer and Jonah Lisa Dyer mainstream things without sanitizing them, reconstituting taboo fodder as the stuff of inspirational cinema. Wexler uses the lighthearted baseline to get at a deeper and more substantial look at ... and more »

USA TODAY

Review: 'The Intouchables' is the Genuinely Inspirational Story of an Unlikely ... Film School Rejects Still, the formula for success here, perfected by co-directors/writers Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano, is clear: Find characters worth caring about, cast actors who are adept at making you feel for them and surround the stars with an inspirational ... "The Intouchables" goes down easy but leaves strange tasteOrlando Sentinel 'Intouchables' is a real crowd-pleaserPress of Atlantic City all 127 news articles »

Indie Picks: Inspirational First Position Opens at Violet Crown Austinist There has been some criticism of Kargman for not being transparent enough about the involvement of one of the Grand Prix's founders in shaping the film's story, but if you're looking for a heartwarming and inspirational trip to the movies this weekend, ... and more »

School's inspirational banner teaches a life lesson Vancouver Sun But for Vancouver swimmer Scott Dickens, those words, in big red and white letters on a banner at the back of a school gymnasium in his hometown of Ancaster, Ont., four years ago became life altering and a huge inspiration. "Three words that definitely ... and more »

Bulldogs win 'inspirational' sectional golf crown The Livingston County News Members of the Livonia golf team proudly show their sectional championship patches along with the Class B trophy they captured May 24 at Bath Country Club. The team is coached by Mike Cronmiller Jr. (far left). By Chris Metcalf on May 25, ... and more »

Wound Care Publication to be Distributed Within USA Today Highlights ... MarketWatch (press release) JR Martinez, whose resume includes burn survivor, motivational speaker, Dancing With the Stars alum, Army Veteran, and actor, graces the publication's cover, while his inspirational story of experiencing a devastating wound, surviving to tell his story ... and more »

Inspirational Network's David Cerullo is highest-paid nonprofit exec Bizjournals.com (blog) David Cerullo, president and chief executive of The Inspirational Network Inc., tops the list, with $1.9 million in compensation. Marc Favaro and Bill Airy, also executives at the Lancaster County based-network, hold the second and third spots on the ...

US: Arab uprisings 'inspirational' but destabilizing for Mideast CNN The report itself says: "The yearning for change we have witnessed in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and Syria is inspirational, and yet change often creates instability before it leads to greater respect for democracy and human rights.

Tennis team has inspirational leader Post Searchlight Captain Dale Brock's 3.5 rated Bainbridge Flint River tennis team, featuring 87-year-old “inspirational leader” David Crockett, competed in the state tennis championships in Macon, Ga., Friday, May 4, through Sunday, May 6. Crockett was the most senior ...

Catskill Daily Mail

Dennis Walters Provides The Inspiration To Follow Your Dreams Catskill Daily Mail However, what could be certainly considered the highlight of the show despite the entertaining golf antics is the inspirational message woven into the show. “Once I started golfing again, I took to the road and for me, it was good therapy,” Walters ...