Why do people use the phrase “key to success?” When in history did success become this guarded treasure that has been locked away in a dark room somewhere. I believe that this way of thinking has only hindered our society. If people think that they have to have some kind of key to be happy, they are only going to waste time looking for something they already have. The key to success is having a positive state of mind. It is not some tangible gold key that you have to hold in order to possess. It is with you always. Most of us don’t know that we have it or don’t want to admit it, because then we would be the cause of our own unhappiness. But sometimes the truth hurts. Sure there are medical diseases that make some people unhappy, but that doesn’t have to last forever. There are also medical diseases that cause people to have cancer or aids. This could also lead some people to be eternally despressed, but there have been amazing stories of people beating the odds and loving life just by not taking life so seriously and trying to enjoy every minute of it. If we keep looking outside ourselves for happiness we will only find facades of happiness that are only temporary. The real thing is in your control and your control only. We have the power to create our own destiny. This may not mean that we have the power to be the richest person in the world, but we do have the power to change are meaning of the word “rich.” A rich life could be a neverending supply of loving friends and family. It does not always have to be tied in with money. We have the power to change our whatever perspectiv. We do not have to believe what we have been told to is the definition of true happiness. We are the only one’s that can define our defintion of success or happiness or both.
I really like this quote by Larry Ellison and I think it sums a lot of what I am trying to say above.
“There are an enormous number of people in the world who really want standard answers. They want everyone to wear their hair the same way, everyone to conduct business the same way, everyone to dress the same way, everyone to go to the same church. And if you wander out of these norms, people are highly critical, because this is threatening to them. They’re living their life one way, and they believe that’s the proper way to live their life. If you live your life a different way, and you answer questions differently, that makes them feel very uncomfortable. They say, “Well this person’s different from what I am.” Then they seem to go a little further, and they say, “This person’s different and wrong, and I’m different and right.” So people have been very, very critical, and will be critical of you if you do things a little bit differently. It takes a certain amount of strength not to succumb to fashion.”
