"Can there really be a secret weapon, a special hook, an inside secret that the most joyful and successful people know and the rest of us don't?
The answer is yes....that's what Aristotle said - happiness does not come from trying to make yourself feel good, but only from making yourself be good - from being a morally decent person."
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And a piece on ambition from the same book -
"We're often told that too much ambition is selfish, or even harmful. But ambition can be a beautiful thing - if it is driven by a concern for others, for having a positive impact on the world. Ask yourself why you want what you want. Is making money one of your goals? Why do you want the money - so you can spend it on yourself? Or are you thinking about using your money to help others, to do things like putting your kids through college, helping friends who need a boost, and maybe if you are very sucessful helping other people's kids get an education too? Are you dreaming of a big new home? Why do you want it? To live in alone? Of course not - not if your ambition is the kind that ends in real success and builds a positive legacy.
The kind of ambition that works in the long run comes from closing your eyes at night and dreaming of being strong enough to help others - of seeing yourself reach out your hand to support someone who needs your strength. That's what success really means - seeing someone in need, feeling the call of decency, and knowing that you can share your strength. Success means thinking and feeling and knowing, "I can help." That's the kind of ambition that makes a real difference in the world.
Ask yourself why you want what you want. Who will benefit from your success when it comes? If it's all about you, think about how you can draw a wider circle, how you can include others in your success. Think about what you can do to have a powerful positive impact on the world by using your success to help others. Committing to help others will help you find greater happiness in your path to success and in the winner's circle when you get there. And you'll be far more likely to get there - you'll be a stronger force as you fight on behalf of others, instead of struggling only for yourself. The best first step on the path to success is, in fact, to deserve it."
From The Power of Purpose : Living Well by Doing Good
by Peter S. Temes.
