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MESSAGE #847 THE PURSUIT OF PERFECT…

Tal Ben-Shahar is the author of “Happier” and “The Pursuit of Perfect.” He has also taught one of the most popular courses at Harvard.

Yesterday, I asked Tal, who was Israeli national squash champion, if he ever felt like NOT practicing.

Tal said that quite often he didn’t feel like practicing, but “feelings are irrelevant, so in turn, they are MOST relevant. Accept feelings as part of reality, then do it anyway.”

What do you need to do today but are putting off?

MESSAGE #398 HOW TO GET THINGS DONE…

Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Richard Ridley.

We all have challenges, big and small. We will always have them. If you try to go through life without problems, you’re in for a big surprise. We cannot control our problems – only our reactions. Here’s what the great William Arthur Ward had to say:

“The experienced mountain climber is not intimidated by a mountain – he is inspired by it. The persistent winner is not discouraged by a problem – he is challenged by it. Mountains are created to be conquered; adversities are designed to be defeated; problems are sent to be solved. It is better to master one mountain than a thousand foothills.”

And, speaking of mountains, the great Tal Ben-Shahar, Harvard professor and author of the book, Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment, said that “Happiness is not making it to the peak of the mountain; happiness is the experience of climbing towards the peak.” In other words, focus on the process (your strategy) instead of the product (winning).

When I asked Dr. Ben-Shahar what the keys to success were, in his opinion, he said, Passion (love for what one does), efficacy (belief in one’s self), and hard work (persistence, dedication).

And that’s how you get things done…

Thanks for reading.