Where Do I Want to Go with My Life

Thoughts on Failures There are only lessons Failures teach success Failures are not “bad” Failures can be “good” Failures are not final –Robert Holden

Learning to take risks David Viscott (1988): –To risk is to loosen your grip on the known and the certain and to reach for something you are not entirely sure of but believe is better than what you now have, or is at least necessary to survive.

Motivation Need—a condition that exists when we are deprived of something we want or require Drive—the push to satisfy our need

Fundamental Human Needs Covey (1999): –To Live is our physical need –To Love is our social need –To Learn is our mental need –To Leave a Legacy is our spiritual need

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Physiological Needs Safety and Security Needs Love and Belonging Needs Esteem Needs Self-Actualization needs

Increasing Your Self-Actualization Experience life fully—live in the moment Learn to trust your own judgement and feelings Be honest with yourself and take responsibility for what you do Choose growth rather than security Recognize your defenses and illusions

Increasing your self-actualization Even though peak experiences aer transient, keep the aspiration of these moments of self-actualization alive in your everyday thoughts Remember self-actualization is a process Commit yourself to concerns and causes outside yourself

Setting Goals Your goals must be your own The goal must not be in conflict with one’s personal value system Goals need to be specific and written down Start with short-range goals Goals must be realistic and attainable Goals should contain specific time deadlines

Time and Organization Monochronic cultures Polychronic cultures Covey: Four Quadrants

Success Contributors to Success Include: –A sense of direction –As feeling of self-confidence –A healthy mental attitude –A belief in perseverance –An understanding of others

Happiness and Well-Being Epstein (1995): Happiness is “the ability to receive the pleasant without grasping and the unpleasant without condemning.” Myers (1993): Happiness is “a ‘pervasive’ sense that life is good—a state of well-being that outlasts yesterday’s moment of elations, today’s buoyant mood or tomorrow’s feeling of sadness.”

How to achieve happiness Savor the moment Take control of your time Reprogram the mind Leave time for love Act happy Do not vegetate Get moving Get rest Give priority to close relationships Take care of the soul