It was in early 2008 when a big change happened that turned my world up-side-down.  That moment gave me a whole new perspective of what and how I see life.  It started a new journey of conscious living instead of living life merely to fate.

But before this change entered my life, I was one of those who were living unconsciously of what my life, and life in general, means.  I was unaware of the principle that governs life that I leave circumstances to other people, luck, fate or destiny, except my own self.

• When I fail to achieve my goals and wants in life, I turn the blame to luck.
• When I fail to get a good relationship with other people, I pass the lack of understanding to the other person.
• When I fail to find my real purpose in life, I rely on destiny and let life happens for me.
• When it comes to dealing with life’s circumstances, I tend to react (negative) instead of responding (positive).

As I continue living unconsciously, my life became much harder and stressful as I grow older because of my lack of knowledge on the principles that governs life and maturity.

When the big change happened, it crashed me down, emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually.  But the good thing about change is that even though it initially burdens you up when it first hit, later on, it gives you deeper courage and wisdom to better move forward in life.

Thanks to such change for it started my search for life’s meaning and principle that governs it.  I did this by expanding my horizon through seeing places, meeting and observing people, and by reading books.  Words are food for the soul, as they say.  As I move forward from the change, I’ve read motivational and inspirational quotes, articles and books.  These helped me a lot in seeing the positive side of life.  One of the books that created a big positive change in my life is this book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.  And here’s why:

7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Review)

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People teaches us the deep-rooted principles of being an effective and successful person rather than teaching us the techniques of acting like one.

The current world is teaching us to be more and more efficient, no wonder fast food, multi-tasking and instant messaging is the “in” thing nowadays.  But the more efficient the world becomes, the higher the level of stress, physical and emotional fatigue we encounter everyday.  It’s not because economic development is not good, but because we are unaware of the principles on how to handle success.  Efficiency lacks something that effectiveness has, and that’s quality.  Time is our most important asset.  So make sure you are spending it wisely not only by its speed but also by making out the most of it (quality).

What is a habit?

Habit is the intersection of knowledge, skill and desire.  Knowledge is the theoretical component (what and why). Skill is the practical side (how).  Desire is the motivational side (want to do it).  Short speaking, when you know what you want and why you want it, then how follows.  This is the key to a conscious living that forms a habit of effectiveness.

And to help you create a habit of effectiveness in your life, here are the guiding principles that composed The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:

Private Victory (First 3 Habits)

1) Be proactive

2) Begin with the end in mind

3) Put first things first

Private Victory forms the deepest part of our character. (Self-mastery & Self-independence)

Public Victory (Next 3 Habits)

4) Think Win-win

5) Seek first to understand then be understood

6) Synergize

Public Victory forms our skill to work well with people.  (Effectiveness with others)

Constant Renewal

7) Sharpen the saw

It teaches us the value of constantly improving ourselves in all aspects of our life.

What is the basis?

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People were formed based on the three (3) basic levels of maturity:

1) dependence;     2) independence:      3) interdependence

• Dependence – You oriented.
• Independence – I oriented.
• Interdependence – We oriented.

The first three (3) habits will help you develop your independence (self-mastery and self-dependence).  You have to have true self-mastery because you cannot go to the next three habits until you do so.  You cannot be interdependent if you are not independent.  And you cannot work well with others if you do not have true self-mastery and self-dependence

Furthermore, the next three (3) habits will help you develop your interdependence (effectiveness with others).  The highest level of an effective life is being able to contribute for the welfare of others.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People will give you a detailed step on how to apply these habits in your life so as you can create a life of effectiveness.

After I’ve read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, it gave me a clear picture of what principles that were missing in my life.  Should have I known them earlier, it could have lessened the pain that a tragic change brought my life.  Also, it gave me an understanding of the roots that created the change.

It opened my eyes to see what other successful people have that I do not.  It showed me the path on creating my purpose instead of painstakingly searching for it.

Want to start reading the book?

If you haven’t read the book, we highly recommend that you get The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People NOW at Amazon.

Related posts:

1. Cultivate Oneself prior to Cultivating Others
2. Make choice a habit
3. 5 Effective Listening Barriers

This is the February 2009 of our blog carnival. Thank you so much for those who submitted their relevant entries. Happy valintines day everyone.

Balance Life

Archvillain presents Tasty, Delicious Murder posted at A Dark and Sinister Force for Good, saying, “At some point, the things we do to increase our lifespan make our lives not worth living. Balance is the key.”
One Family presents A Peek Into Our Roadmap to Financial Independence posted at One Family’s Blog.
Dan Stelter presents The Anxiety Support Network – A Balanced Lifestyle is the Best Lifestyle of All posted at Anxiety Support Network Anxiety Recovery Blog, saying, “This articles shows you the benefits of living a balanced lifestyle. Give it a read to learn specific steps you can take to begin balancing your life out!”
Miche presents Is Passion Necessary for a Meaningful Life? posted at Serenity Hacker, saying, “Do we need ONE, single, driving passion to experience meaning, happiness and fulfillment? Maybe that singular passion isn’t always quite so healthy… Find out what the latest research says, and follow the inquiry I made in seeking an answer to this question.”
Sonia Gallagher presents Work Life Balance Results in a Fulfilled Life | Time for Life, LLC posted at Time for Life, LLC, saying, “I hope this information benefits your readers. All the best to you, Sonia Gallagher, JD Certified Life Coach”
Digerati Life presents What Price Are You Paying To Have It All? The Supermom Myth posted at The Digerati Life.
christopher foster presents Listened to your inner voice lately? posted at thehappyseeker.com, saying, “Following your inner voice is a very practical matter that brings new richness to our lives. Stillness is the key.”
Alvaro Fernandez presents The Evolution of Empathy posted at SharpBrains, saying, “Empathy’s not a uniquely human trait, explains primatologist Frans de Waal. Apes and other animals feel it as well, suggesting that empathy is truly an essential part of who we are.”

Contentment

Dan Stelter presents The Anxiety Support Network – Essentials for Human Happiness posted at Anxiety Support Network Anxiety Recovery Blog, saying, “This is a brief guide demonstrating things that make people happy and that help to reduce stress, anxiety, and any other mental health issues one encounters. They are both timeless and universal.”
Lian Benfield presents Connecting with your angels posted at Mystic Gifts and Charms Blog, saying, “Article about Angels and how you can communicate with your angels or spirit guides.”
Sunny presents False Signs of Cheating posted at Surviving Infidelity, saying, “Sometimes, people can mistakingly believe their partner is cheating.”
Richard Shelmerdine presents Why ?I Am? is A Deep Spiritual Truth posted at Richard Shelmerdine.
Cheryl Ragsdale presents How to Avoid the Greeting Card Version of Valentine’s Day | eHow.com posted at FaithAllen, saying, “There’s got to be a better way. People get all twisted up over Valentine’s Day. Let’s keep it simple. Let me help you get through it like the man-stud you are. Follow these steps to help you give up your resistance to February 14th.”

Failure

Tod presents Balancing Between Success and Failure posted at A Blog by Tod, saying, “An exploration of the nature of success and failure. Learn to take risks and move forward.”

Happiness

Laura Grace Weldon presents Going to Hope in a Handbasket posted at Laura Grace Weldon.
Dorrie presents Camping: A Valuable Reminder On Survival posted at Camping Tips, saying, “One of the joys of camping is it brings out ones survival instincts.”
Cheryl Ragsdale presents 3 Easy Ways to Attract the Opposite Sex – Be Magical, Playful and Magnetic posted at That Girl is Funny, saying, “What makes you laugh? Why are things funny to some people and not to others? Laughter that connects us to others warms our hearts and keeps us young and healthy. On the other hand, mean-spirited laughter will rot you from the inside out. That’s just how it works. Read more…”
Stephen Martile presents 3 Keys to Living a Purpose Driven Life posted at FreedomEducation.ca by Stephen Martile, saying, “Hi, Back in 2005 I was still getting wasted in my buddies garage because I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “there has got to be more to life than this,” then realize you’re not alone. I was saying the exact same thing to myself only 5 years ago. It’s never too late to change.”
Danea Horn presents Cultivating Gratitude posted at Affirmation Blog, saying, “Gratitude is an astounding gift that we can give to ourselves any moment we choose to.”
Arian Adams presents My Dog, My Hero posted at The Dumbass Chronicles, saying, “This is a story about how I “lived life to the fullest” before I turned 18. It’s a humorous tale narrated by my childhood dog. It’s all the things he would have told my parents about my life, if only he could talk. Good thing he couldn’t.”
Kellen Von Houser presents Satir’s Mandala: The Components of Happiness posted at Kellevision.
Igor presents Open The Window To Beauty posted at Be Zen, My Friend.

Stress

Madeleine Begun Kane presents De-Stress Or Distress? posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.
Jackie Powell presents Behind the Lens – Part I posted at eskyoo, saying, “Motherhood mixes with Depression”

Success

Kenrick Chatman presents How to Secure Your Career and Future posted at Career Catalyst, saying, “Learn about the essentials like social networking and a precise demonstration of expertise that can help secure your career and future. Get further informed on how to enhance your skill-sets for marketability purposes.”
Steven Handel presents Re-visiting Your Goals And Aspirations posted at The Emotion Machine.
Steven Handel presents How To Think Less And Do More: Turning Life Into Flow posted at The Emotion Machine.
Steven Handel presents Review: 100 Ways To Screw Up Your Life posted at The Emotion Machine.
Monique Gallagher presents 3 Key Secrets to Help You Break Through Any Mental Barrier posted at Synchronize your Power, saying, “Breaking out of your own personal prison isn’t easy but there are three key proven strategies to help you free yourself. Here are three of the best ways to remove those blocks and barriers:”
MoneyNing presents How to Succeed by Failing Fast posted at Money Ning, saying, “In order to succeed, you must fail again and again. Don’t be afraid to try new things.”

Worries

Reina Waters presents Reina Says: Don’t Worry posted at Real Women, Real Love, saying, “”When will I meet The One?” “What can I do to keep from scaring him off?” Women work themselves up into a frenzy of worry when it comes to meeting and attracting the man of their dreams. I explore how worrying hurts our romantic chances and suggest a simple way to stop worrying about men for good.”
Jackie Powell presents Honest Fear posted at eskyoo, saying, “Overcoming the fear of being honest with yourself and others”
That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of living life to the fullest using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Related posts:

1. Blog Carnival: Live Life to the Fullest
2. Living Life to the Fullest Carnival: New Year Special
3. Be Happy or Rich?

In a cluttered world full of anxiety and stress, it’s easy to feel like we’re carrying the weight of the world in our shoulders.  We fill in every line of our schedules and rush from one activity to another.  Like a time to rest is the most forbidden activity.  Then we ask ourselves why our life is so stressful and hard.

With all the stress that this fast-paced environment we live in, the key is to take a moment to think back and remind yourself of these simple truths, “20 Things to Remind Yourself Daily”.  It may not finish your task, but it will change how you approach it.

1)  Remind yourself that… you’re unique and one of a kind.

That you were created to make a mark in this life and not just born to survive.

2)  Remind yourself that… your presence is a present to the world.

You may not realize it but one way or another, someone feels so blessed with your existence.  So stop saying you’re nobody.

3)  Remind yourself that… your life can be just what you want it to be.

Most of life is a choice, having the freedom to act and decide on your own.  Start deciding and stop complaining.

4)  Remind yourself to… take the days just one at a time.

Rushing isn’t all beneficial.  Take time to smell the flowers.  Don’t over do yourself.  Learn to appreciate life today, for tomorrow, you may not have the chance to do so.

5)  Remind yourself to… count your blessings not your troubles.

There are two types of a person, a proactive and a reactive.  The reactive always see the trouble and blame the circumstance to other people, while proactive see troubles as a bridge to success.  What are you?

6)  Remind yourself that… within you are so many answers.

One of the big disadvantages of a hurried lifestyle is the lack of meditation or reflection.    We are too busy, too preoccupied.  But if you really want to find true happiness in this life, you have to be still, to quiet your mind.. so you can hear your heart.

7)  Remind yourself to… understand, have courage, be strong.

Knowing that life is imperfect gives you enough space to expect it to be hard.  You have to accept that life’s circumstance is not ALWAYS within our control and all you can do is accept, understand and to keep moving forward.

Life is 99% choice and 1% chance.

8)  Remind yourself that… you’ll make it through whatever comes along.

In times of affliction, it can be tough to see the lighter side.  But do always remember, that all storms have endings.  Just keep looking forward.

9)  Remind yourself that… there are so many dreams waiting to be realized.

A goal without action is nothing but a dream.

It’s very good to know what you want and set your plans.  However, if it’s only written, it can’t be realized.  You have to take action.  You have to wake up and stand up.

10)  Remind yourself that… decisions are too important to leave to chance.

Remember, life is 99% choice and 1% chance.

We are in control of our life 99% of the time and yet a lot of us give this all to chances.  We let things happen instead of making it happen.

11)  Remind yourself to… do not put limits on yourself.

One of the differences between achievers and non-achievers is the size of their dreams.  Big people achieve big dreams because they think big.  The same is true to small people.  They achieve smaller dreams because they think small.

The key is to have confidence in oneself and think BIG!

12) Remind yourself that… nothing wastes more energy than worrying.

Worry is a complete waste of energy.  Even how much you think about it over and over, it will not solve anything.  Worry gives you nothing but bad feelings.

Instead of investing your time thinking of the problem, shift your thoughts on how you can solve it.

13) Remind yourself that.. the longer you carry a problem, the heavier it gets.

When faced with bad situations or problems, a lot of us leave it behind undecided.  We may think that the safest solution is leaving it to chances.

However, indecision does not solve the problem, it just gives you temporary relief.  But sooner or later, you will feel its impact.  Most of the time, it’s bigger than the original.

Don’t avoid problems, instead, be braved enough to face and solve it so you can move forward it life.  Stop being a coward!

14)  Remind yourself to… Live a life of serenity, not regrets

People who seldom succeed in life are those who live in the shadow of the past.

They cling too much of what they used to have that they seldom adapt and move forward in life.

Remember that you can no longer alter what happened in the past but you can create your future.  Accept what happened and move on.

15)  Remind yourself to… do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.

Everyday, you do the same thing, like a cycle that just goes round and round.  You get too lax that you find life too boring.

But instead of focusing on the negative feeling of boredom, why not take charge and create a change.

Sometimes, change does not only happen by surprise.  You have the capacity to create change.  And why not do it now?  Who knows, it will give you the big break you’ve been dreaming of.

16)  Remind yourself to… not take yourself too seriously.

Because no one else does.

The only person that’s burdened when you are too serious is you.  Keep a mature mind but a young heart.  Smile, you look better when you do.

17) Remind yourself that… friendship is a wise investment.

True friendship lasts forever.  You may not see them often but when friendship is true, even how time and distance separates you, true friends are the one that stays with you.

If you found this type of friends, care and treasure them.  For it’s one of the best gifts you will ever receive in your life.

18) Remind yourself to… reach for your peak, your goal, your prize

As long as you’re alive, you have all the chance to achiever your goal.

Don’t get discourage by past failures.  Keep striving.

Remember, success comes from multiple failures.  Those who win have finished the race.

19)  Remind yourself to… take time to wish upon a star.

Have faith with your dreams until you achieve it.

Nothing is impossible when you believe.

20) Remind yourself that… it’s never too late.

Often times we resist change because we think that it’s too late for us to change.

Remember that we all have countless chances in this life.  You just have to accept change.

For a final world, in our world full of clutter and negative things, we need something daily to overcome the stress and hardship that life brings.  May the list remind you of these simple truths of life.

Make use of this list.  Print it, post it or share it.

Related posts:

1. How to Start All Over Again?
2. 25 Secrets To Good Life
3. The Secret to a Happy Life

Life is a journey of ups and downs, like a cycle which takes a turn to give you both ends.  There will be happiness or sadness, success or failures, love or heartaches, good or bad.

Oftentimes, you’ll be encountering situations where things are going smoothly your way then suddenly, in a blink of an eye, things crashed down to your face then turn your world up-side-down.  In that moment you will feel distraught that you may find life so hard to live on.

But after the pain and darkness, there comes the joy and light.  Now, you’ll start to ask yourself, “how to start all over again?”

Starting over isn’t hard, if you know these four (4) key principles:

1)  Acceptance

Accept that life isn’t perfect, and it will never be perfect, so expect it to be hard.  The best way to achieve happiness and success in life is through acceptance.

Instead of mourning and complaining on how difficult life is, shift your focus to how and why you have to act and make it different.

Remember that it’s not what happens to you, but how you handle what happens to you, that’s going to make the difference.

2)  Learning

The good thing about setbacks or failure, are the lessons we learn if we did not experience them otherwise.

Once you’ve accepted the imperfection of your life and the situation that happened, take time to recognize the lessons you’ve learned from such experience.  For this will be valuable wisdom you’ll be carrying over as you go along in your life.

3)  Planning

Dream again.  After failing, most people lose their appetite to still dream for fear of failing to achieve them.

The best story we can remember whenever we feel like giving up and walk away from our dreams is about the company named “7 UP”.

The story have showed how an owner tried six (6) times to formulate a beverage to offer its customer but have failed six (6) times before he totally gave up its quest and sold it to another company.  The new owner, who gave this test a chance to continue, perfected the formula and made it saleable on it seventh (7) try and he succeeded.  Now, 7Up is one of the famous beverages we have.  The real owner could have achieve his dreams if he did not give up on the 6^th try and persuade to the 7^th test that should have gave him the success he could have deserved.

4)  Moving on

Always keep a positive and grateful attitude.

Do you know the cartoon movie, “Meet the Robinsons”?  It has a famous line that can extremely influence our attitude and it says “Keep moving forward”.

When you respond to life, that’s positive; when you react to life, that’s negative.  The former clearly defines the meaning of “Keep moving forward”.

Whenever situations come to our lives, especially hard times, you always have two choices, a positive or negative.  That’s to respond or react.

Reacting leads you nowhere but feeling restless and frustrated while responding gives you a perspective to stand up and keep on moving to life.

Most of life is learning and growing, falling and getting back up, accepting and going on.  If you want to go far, you have to start the engine and drive.

Related posts:

1. 5 Stages of Change
2. 20 Things to Remind Yourself Daily
3. 5 Dream Boosting Tips

Newspaper world-wide have been buzzing about the bad economy and employment problems that most countries are facing.  The financial crisis that hit the most powerful country in the world, United States of America, is blamed by the increased in the unemployment rate and long list of past-due debts.  But unnoticed by these media men is the increasing rate of employment illness mostly known as fatigue or stress. Stress at work is doubling overtime. That’s why a lot of people are spending more and more time at work, and less and less time to their personal life.  Thanks to the information technology, things are faster and easier to do now.  But instead of easier life for many, aren’t we feeling more stressed as the technology becomes more efficient?

In Live life to fullest, we aim to promote awareness on this unnoticed increasing sickness called stress. Below are the data we gathered that we aim to alarm not only the employers but also the employee themselves.

Share this to your friends and spread the message by using the buttons below.

Related posts:

1. 55 Ways to Deal With Stress and Annoying People
2. What is Self-innovation and Why It Matters?
3. How to Focus in Life? – Part 3: Set Your Time

While eating dinner on a Thursday night, my aunt and I talk about “Karma”.  As I listen intently with her long stories and samples of Karma, I sense my aunt’s great fear of that.   With the way she talks and the stories she illustrates, I’ve sensed that karma for her is something to be feared of. To avoid such great misfortune, she lives her life carefully making sure she won’t do something that will return a big karma in her life.  And just like my aunt, a lot of people dread the word Karma, especially “Bad Karma”.

Curiosity fills me up, so after I’ve finished my dinner, I went up to my room and typed the word “Karma” in Google to clearly understand its meaning.

What is Karma?

From www.answers.com, I’ve got these three definitions of Karma:

1. Hinduism & Buddhism. The total effect of a person’s actions and conduct during the successive phases of the person’s existence, regarded as determining the person’s destiny.
2. Fate; destiny
3. What goes around, comes around

Personally, without being disrespectful, I do not believe in Karma unlike most people does.  And I’d state my reasoning here.

Circumstances are caused by choice, not fate

I personally believe that Life is 99% choice, 1% chance.

Many of us live life with great faith of destiny.  So we take each day unplanned of what we want to do and who we want to become.  And as such, we give permission to other people and circumstances to dictate the direction of our life.

I have a great faith myself, but I don’t let this faith determine my life.  I make a conscious choice of where and how I want to live my life, and the rest of 1%, I take by faith.  I do this so as not to feel lost and surprise with my own life.

Just imagine this, riding a bus or a plane without knowing the destination?

The journey will be fun and thrilling but the bottom line is you made a choice. You didn’t just wake up, and suddenly you’re in the bus, not, unless, you’re drunk.

Challenges are not punishments

A type of Karma is called Bad Karma.  This is defined as a negative fate of somebody who did bad things in the past.

I’ve seen a lot of people who point to bad karma whenever somebody else’s face challenges in their lives.  They blame the other person’s bad choices or actions in the past which gave them the hardship that they faced now.  And I respectfully disagree to this belief.

For me, failures and challenges are gifts, not punishments.  Because failure gives you the most wonderful gift you’ll ever receive, and that’s wisdom.

And whether you do good or bad, one way or another, you’ll definitely be facing challenges in life.  For remember, you’re living in an imperfect world and life itself is imperfect.

A lot of great men became great because they’ve gone through a lot of challenges and failures.  And did they become great because they were punished?

Limiting Self for fear of Backlash

This is a great disadvantage when somebody is inclined to their belief of Karma, they have a limited life.  They restrict themselves from acting or choosing for fear of the negative consequences, and as such, they do nothing but let life passes by.

I remember a great phrase from Starbucks, “If there were no criticism in this world, who would you be?”

The same is true with this: “If there are no negative consequences in life, what would you do?”

I’m not asking you to live life haphazardly or chaotically, but just try to expand yourself and take chances.  Eventually, you’d find a better self and a good life.

Challenges will always be there even how safe you may be.   So why waste your life waiting for the right time and for things to be perfectly secure and safe before you start living your life.

We are now living in a world of clutter and crisis.  And to see the light in such darkness you have to start seeing a new perspective.

Related posts:

1. Blog Carnival: Live Life to the Fullest
2. Top 3 Dangerous Enemies That May Steal Your Life

In one personal development seminar I’ve attended, our trainer asked us one by one, to define and differentiate success versus happiness.

If I were to ask you the same question,

what is the difference between success and happiness?

What will you answer?

Success _________________.

Happiness _______________.

(Take a few minutes to reflect and answer the question then afterwards, go back to this post.)

We all have our different definition of success and happiness.  However, most likely our answers will only fall in these four (4) categories:

1. Happiness = Success
2. Happiness < Success
3. Happiness > Success
4. Happiness + Success

HAPPINESS = SUCCESS

Personally, upon hearing such question, I wondered if it isn’t the same.

If you were like me, you’d gauge success to mean like happiness and happiness to mean like success.  For how can you differentiate the two when they go hand in hand?

Oftentimes, we define happiness as being successful, wherein the way to be happy is upon reaching the success of whatever goal or endeavor we take in life.   We delay happiness and perceive it as an end result of achieving our goals.

Unlike fairy tales and novels, where happiness is in the end of the story, true happiness does not come at the end of our story or life. Happiness knocks in our door everyday but it seems most of us ignore it because we are locked with the thought that happiness is in the end of our journey,  after we achieve all the goals that we want, acquire the wealth that we aspire or found the perfect love we’ve always dream of.  But before we acquire all those, we find happiness as a dream that will come in the future.

But later on in my journey to life, I’ve learned that,

Happiness is not an end but a journey.

HAPPINESS < SUCCESS

One of the participants in the training answered that being happy means being contented.  And being contented is a big hindrance to success.

A lot of people sacrifices happiness in exchange for success.  Like for an instance, when a mother skips her daughter’s graduation in exchange for a meeting call in the office.  Or a man that spends his night away in an out of town company engagement in exchange for the anniversary celebration with his wife.

For these kinds of people, they give a lot of value in “delayed gratification”.  They sacrifice a lot of today in exchange for the big reward of their goal in the future.

Oftentimes, upon reaching their goals, these people are lonely and depress because upon reaching it, they were alone.  The reason most of the time is broken relationships.

Too much delaying happiness in exchange of success made them forget all the other important things in life, like family, friends and other significant ones.

They neglect the thought that today is what they have.

HAPPINESS > SUCCESS

People who values happiness over success are those who lives in simplicity or often called mediocre or average.

They care less of success and achieving their goals for they value contentment of what they have now.  They dream less and get a lot of happiness in simple things.

If we are living in a perfect and easy world, I would love to belong in this group because of the contentment and simplicity of life they lived in.  However, in an imperfect world full of chaos and crisis just like ours, living in a complete contentment without goal results to a big mess and hardship.

Oftentimes, those who stop seeking for success and lives in mediocre ends up being manipulated, used or slaved by other people.

Gratitude is a great attribute anybody can have, however, too much can lead you to an aimless life.  A life that just passes by that leaves out no mark and contribution.

HAPPINESS + SUCCESS

After every one of us has answered the trainer’s question, he gave his answer.

Success is having what you want.  Happiness is having contentment in what you have.

Upon hearing the answer, I’ve thought to myself, “Being successful and happy is not a bad idea.”  But how can you have both?

Like a light bulb in the head, the answer struck me a few minutes later.

The best way to live life is by setting your goals for the future without neglecting to live now and having the grateful attitude for all the blessings you have in your life at the moment.
In which category do you belong?

Related posts:

1. 5 Ways to Pursue Happiness
2. How To Turn Anxiety To Happiness
3. Be Happy or Rich?

I’m browsing through the web reading about the latest trends and innovations, and I stumbled upon the definition of innovation in Wikipedia and it says this way.

Innovation is a new way of doing something or “new stuff that is made useful”. It may refer to incremental and emergent or radical and revolutionary changes in thinking, products, processes, or organizations.

I just can’t get my eyes off those phrases, and I feel like I’m looking for something more. Is it just in products, process and organizations that innovation can be applied to? Many of us are doing research, brainstorms and talks about innovation in corporate level, I rarely hear someone talking about inner innovation or self innovations. Innovation involves change and change don’t have the ability to choose who to affect. It is not just companies that must innovate; individuals must also innovate and here are the reasons I have in mind.

Avoid Extinction

I’m in the innovation industry for years, and I witnessed a lot of things. In every innovation that comes out in the market will have a duplicate in just few months or so and the duplicate may even surpass the original. Many small start-up will struggle to innovate the existing product and release it to the market as quickly as they can while the big guys are busy not in another innovation but to become more respectable.

If the company that made the innovation didn’t innovate after that product, most probably it will become extinct.

The same things in individuals, especially if we are employed. Most people I know stops growing themselves after they found comfort in their jobs.

Now we may be special, we can do things that others don’t but time will come that new bloods will born and learn to do things better than we do. Of course as an employer, they want better souls to do the job.

With the technology, it is now easier to locate new replacements, online resumes are everywhere, job sites and don’t forget about social networks, the percentage of hiring made in linked in, Facebook and twitter now are growing.

If we didn’t innovate ourselves, we may lose our job and become extinct.

Being still is boring and being boring is risky

In the book purple cow by Seth Godin, brown cows are just ordinary and can be easily forgotten while purple cows stick and the idea about it surely spread. This depicts companies and individuals that doing the same things over and over and this prohibits growth.

One of the most important factors in our resumes is the work experience section, about our accomplishments and about what we do. You may not agree to this, but I may say that our credentials are not in the resume, our resume is not in their written in the papers or displayed in a web page, what we do is our resume. Many potential employers online, especially when you are in the IT industry only wants to see your past projects and accomplishments and don’t even ask for a soft copy or hard copy formal resumes.

If we do cool, great or remarkable things, we don’t even need to look for job or new project or new client, they will definitely look for you. They will easily learn about how remarkable you are through words of mouth or the becoming faster word of mouse.

Meeting new friends, meeting new colleagues and learning a lot of things. You don’t need to quit your job to grow or to do greater things, you can do great things in your field, with your co-workers or clients. Dont limit yourself on doing new things and doing only what your boss told you to do so. Start doing new and remarkable things to your friends, colleagues or customers and their friends will definitely learn about it.

Even simple changes can attract rapid growth.

The growth of the big will come from the growth of its smaller entities

Like in many leadership and management teachings, we should first grow ourselves and our organizations growth will follow. The growth of the smaller entities normally triggers the growth of the organization as a whole, there are many other factors of course but I believe it is a big factor.

I believe the universe normally works this way, and it originates that way as from Stephen Hawking who explained the origins of everything who came from the smallest things, the atoms and forms the universe it is currently the most acceptable theory about that subject. We can find many other example in the universe but I know you get the picture.

The growth of the big, comes from the growth of its smaller entities, not in physical growth but mostly in ways of thinking, growth of the network, improvement in processes, skills and many other things that may contribute to it specifically.

We are now in the information age but the law of the jungle (survival of the fittest) still applies not just in physical aspects but in other forms as well. Someone can replace us at anytime especially in this era of globalization which may give us no choice but to grow or become extinct.

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2. Living Life to the Fullest Carnival: New Year Special
3. Be Happy or Rich?

continuation of... How to Choose The Right Career? – Part 2

At this point, you’re done taking the exam and eager to know the result.

To help you understand and rate the accuracy of the test, here is the description of each of the categories included in the test.

Category R means “Realistic”

• Active and stable.
• Enjoy hands-on or manual activities such as building, mechanics, machinery operation and athletics.
• They enjoy engaging in physical activity and often like being outdoors and working with plants and animals.
• People who fall into this category generally prefer to “learn by doing” in a practical, task-oriented setting, as opposed to spending extended periods of time in a classroom or office.
• Realistic types tend to communicate in a frank, direct manner and value material things.
• They perceive themselves as skilled in mechanical and physical activities, but may be uncomfortable or less adept with human relations.
• The preferred work environment of the realistic type fosters technical competencies and work that allows them to produce tangible results.
• Typical realistic careers:  military, electrician, engineer and veterinarian.

Category I means “Investigative”

• Analytical, intellectual and observant.
• Enjoy research, mathematical or scientific activities.
• They are drawn to ambiguous challenges and may feel stifled in highly structured environments.
• People who fall into this category enjoy using logic and solving highly complex, abstract problems.
• They are introspective and focused on creative problem-solving, therefore investigate types often work autonomously and do not seek leadership roles.
• They place a high value on science and learning, and perceive themselves as scholarly and having scientific or mathematical ability but lacking leadership and persuasive skills.
• They preferred work environment of the investigative type encourages scientific competencies, allows independent work, and focuses on solving abstract, complex problems in original ways.
• Typical investigative careers: medical technologists, chemist and system analyst.

Category A means “Artistic”

• Original, intuitive and imaginative.
• Enjoy creative activities such as composing or playing music, writing, drawing or painting, and acting in or directing stage productions.
• They seek opportunities for self-expression through artistic creation.
• People who fall into this category prefer flexibility and ambiguity, and have an aversion to convention and conformity.
• Generally impulsive and emotional.
• Tend to communicate in a very expressive and open manner.
• They value aesthetics, and view themselves as creative, non-conforming, and as appreciating or possessing musical, dramatic or writing abilities while lacking clerical or organizational skills.
• Preferred work environment is the type that fosters creative competencies and encourages originality and use of imagination in a flexible, unstructured setting.
• Typical artistic careers:   musician, reporter and interior decorator.

Category S means “Social”

• Humanistic, idealistic, responsible and concerned with the welfare of others.
• Enjoy participating in group activities and helping, training, caring for counseling or developing others.
• They are generally focused on human relationships, and enjoy social activities and solving interpersonal problems.
• Seek opportunities to work as part of a team, solve problems through discussions and utilize interpersonal skills but may avoid activities that involve systematic use of equipment or machines.
• They genuinely enjoy working with people, therefore they communicate a warm and tactful manner and can be persuasive.
• They view themselves as understanding, helpful, cheerful and skilled in teaching, but lacking mechanical ability.
• The preferred work environment of social type encourages teamwork and allows for significant interaction with others.
• Typical social careers:   teacher, counselor and social worker.

Category E means “Enterprising”

• Energetic, ambitious, adventurous, sociable and self-confident.
• Enjoy activities that require them to persuade others, such as sales and seek out leadership roles.
• They are invigorated by using their interpersonal, leadership and persuasive abilities to obtain organizational goals or economic gain, but may avoid routine or systematic activities.
• They are often effective public speakers and are generally sociable, but may be viewed as domineering.
• They view themselves as assertive, self-confident and skilled in leadership and speaking, but lacking in scientific abilities.
• The preferred work environment is the type that encourages them to engage in activities such as leadership, management, selling and rewards them through attainment of money, power and status.
• Typical enterprising career:  salesperson, business executive and manager.

Category C means “Conventional”

• Efficient, careful, conforming, organized and conscientious.
• They are comfortable working within an established chain of command and prefer carrying out well-defined instructions over assuming leadership roles.
• They prefer organized, systematic activities and have an aversion to ambiguity.
• They are skilled in and often enjoy maintaining and manipulating data, organizing schedules and operating office equipment.
• While they rarely seek leadership roles, they are thorough, persistent and reliable in carrying out tasks.
• They view themselves as responsible, orderly, efficient and possessing clerical, organizational and numerical abilities.
• Preferred work environment are the type that fosters organization competencies, such as record keeping and data management in as structured operation and places high value on conformity and dependability.
• Typical conventional careers:  secretary, accountant, and banker.

We hope that this post and the test helped you discover the best career path to take or at least gave you something to learned from.

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1. How to Choose The Right Career? – Part 2
2. How to Choose The Right Career? – Part 1
3. How to Focus in Life? – Part 3: Set Your Time

continuation of… How to Choose The Right Career? – Part 1

You may just be curious or in real need of a guide, this part is to help know and test yourself so you can discover the type of career that best suits your interest, abilities and personality.

So what are you waiting for?  Grab a pen plus paper, and start the test.

Personality Test

(Based on Holland’s Theory)

Step 1: For each category, put a check on the items which describe you.

Category: R

Are you:

___ Practical

___ Athletic

___ Straight forward

___ Mechanically Inclined

___ A nature lover

___Operate tools and machinery

Can You:

___Fix electrical things

___Solve mechanical problems

___Pitch a tent

___Play a sport

___Read a blueprint

___Work on cars

Like to:

___Tinker with mechanics

___Work outdoors

___be physically active

___Use your hands

___Build things

Total Score under Category R: ______

Category:      I

Are you:

___ Inquisitive

___ Analytical

___ Scientific

___ Observant

___ Precise

___Operate tools and machinery

Can You:

___Think abstractly

___Solve math problems

___Understand physical theories

___Do complex calculations

___Use a microscope

___Work on cars

___Analyze data

Like to:

___Explore ideas

___Use computers

___Work independently

___Performs lab experiments

___Read scientific or technical magazines

Total Score under Category I: _________

Category:      A

Are you:

___ Creative

___ Intuitive

___ Imaginative

___ Innovative

___ An individualist

Can You:

___Sketch, draw, paint

___Play a musical instrument

___Write stories, poetry, music, sing, act, dance

___Design fashions or interiors

Like to:

___Attend concerts, theaters, art exhibits

___Read fiction, plays, poetry

___Work on crafts

___Take photographs

___Express yourself creatively

Total Score under Category A: _________

Category: S

Are you:

___ Friendly

___ Helpful

___ Idealistic

___ Insightful

___ Outgoing

___Understanding

Can You:

___Teach/train others

___Express yourself clearly

___Lead a group discussion

___Mediate disputes

___Plan and supervise an activity

___Cooperate well with others

Like to:

___Work in groups

___Help people with problems

___Participate in meetings

___Do volunteer service

___Work with young people

___Play team sports

Total Score under Category S: _________

Category: E

Are you:

___ Self-confident

___ Assertive

___ Sociable

___ Persuasive

___ Enthusiastic

___ Energetic

Can You:

___Initiate Projects

___Convince people to do things your way

___Sell things or promote ideas

___Give talks or speeches

___Organize activities and events

___Lead a group

Like to:

___Make decisions affecting others

___Be elected to office

___Win a leadership or sales award

___Start your own political campaign

___Meet important people

Total Score under Category E: _________

Category: C

Are you:

___ Well-groomed

___ Accurate

___ Numerically inclined

___ Methodical

___ Conscientious

___Efficient

Can You:

___Work well within a system

___Do a lot of paperwork in a short time

___Keep accurate records

___Use a computer terminal

___Write effective business letters

Like to:

___Follow clearly defined procedures

___Use data processing equipment

___Work with numbers

___Type or take shorthand

___Be responsible for details

Total Score under Category C: _________

Step 2: Total the items checked for each theme/category.  Identify the top 3 categories/themes which create the most accurate picture of you.

Your top three categories are:  1) _________    2) _________  3) __________.

To understand the result of your test, click below link:

How to Choose The Right Career? – Part 3

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1. How to Choose The Right Career? – Part 3
2. How to Choose The Right Career? – Part 1
3. How To Turn Anxiety To Happiness