HappyDestiny3

Tuesday, February 12, 2013
You are reading from the book Touchstones

I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to the light I have.
—Abraham Lincoln

With too much focus on control, we men have been preoccupied by our overemphasis on outcomes. We say winning is everything, and the way we play the game doesn't matter. We give honor to a man who has accumulated great wealth, regardless of how he has lived. We develop sexual problems because we focus on performance and achieving orgasm rather than on the joy of loving.

As our integrity grows, our emphasis changes. It is not crucial that we always be right, only that we be honest. We do not have to be winners or high achievers so much as we have to be real human beings. Conquest is not as important as connection. We do not always have to compare ourselves and be better than the next guy. We can exchange and appreciate the communication.

Today, I will grow in my relationships with others by being more true to myself and less driven toward a particular outcome.

Fernaceman

Great read. Success is all subjective anyway. Happiness is relative to how we feel about ourselves during our performance to get to the outcome as well. Money sure doesn't buy happiness, that's for sure. I had a great paying job at one time but was miserable because my preoccupation was with making as much money as possible so I could purchase as much drugs and alcohol as I possibly could.

Glad it doesn't have to be that way today. I get frustrated at times, sure, you've all seen that. But I really am happier right now than I have been for as long as I can remember.

Hollyanne

I read this;

"I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to the light I have."
—Abraham Lincoln

And then I read this;

"We develop sexual problems because we focus on performance and achieving orgasm rather than on the joy of loving."

And I thought, "WHOAHHHHH! Abraham Lincoln said THAT!
LOLOLOL

Then I figured it out.
And as usual, thanks for the lovely post.

paul99

I need to read this today. I am having a really rough morning with self-pity and it comes from comparing. I feel less than today, not worthy, etc. and this comes from comparison. I don't feel like I am doing any good to any one or that what I say matters because of comparison. Comparison rides shotgun to self-pity - these are perhaps my most persistent and damaging character defects. They are running rampant this morning. I just prayed and hope to get some relief today.

Oh well.

Upward and onward, turn and think of others, do the do things, etc.

HappyDestiny3

HollyAnne

Thanks guys for the great responses.

Fernaceman

Hugs Paul. All is well in the end. And if its not well or ok, it's not the end!!

paul99

True, Fern - thanks.

CaiHong

Comparing oneself with others is deadly,is that envy of of the seven deadlies.

I wrongly compare what I have to say to your posts and yours are so articulate and to the point I end up writing nothing. it's wrong I know.

This funk will pass I am sure hand it over to your HP and let him deal with it.

This one is very pertinent at this time. I am restarting the business and every man and his dog is telling me how if I did this or that I could make more money.
Set up a franchise and so on when I haven't even got the doors open well as you can see there are no doors, should I say lifted the bamboo screens.

I want to make enough to live on and get back what I have invested. Pay my manager well , we are both dividing a third of the income as wages as opposed to paying him a salary. I have always wanted to run a business on shared profits not salary.
I want to be proud of my product and develop consistency and quality.

My fear of financial insecurity is leaving me, thank God. I feel like a millionaire although I am very far from that.
CaiHong

paul99

Yes - a sin indeed. Can't help shake it most days thought. It will come.

All the best in your business venture, CaiHong!