No matter how rich or poor my genetic and environmental endowment, I can be genuinely happy and successful only if I embrace the following beliefs and ethics…
- Everyone has talents.
- Every talent is valuable.
- A “big” talent does not make me better than others… and a “small” talent does not make me less.
- Having a talent does not make me important… My value as a human being is what I choose to do with my talent.
- Happiness ensues from using my talents in service to others.
- Service to others is an essential ingredient of authentic dreams.
- Large or small, what matters is that they are my dreams… dreams that flow naturally from my core values, not material ambitions.
- Success has far more to do with opportunity and hard work than any inborn “talent”.
- Opportunity is something to be grateful for.
- Talent can be developed by hard work.
- The obstacle to success is not lack of talent… The obstacle to success is lack of an authentic dream.
- An authentic dream (the “big” thing) will propel me to do the “small” things everyday.
- If my dream is authentic, it will pull me towards it… teaching me, giving me courage, enabling me to persevere through every obstacle (and there will be many).
- In pursuit of that dream, I will discover many latent talents in the process.
- My dreams unlived will be a source of frustration until I act to make them a reality.
- So, what am I waiting for?