"A man of happiness is consistent in his steps, not disorderly," wrote
Confucius in the year 510 B.C. In our days, technology has rendered life
less demanding in physical effort, opening the door to endless
achievement or overwhelming conformity.
The four best ideas of Confucius
The multiplication of
choices has increased individual capacity to make right decisions or
colossal mistakes. "Foolish men do things without knowing their
purpose," remarked Confucius, "but chaos is not the way; be observant,
choose the beneficial, and try to attain it." From his writings, I have
extracted the following four practical recommendations:
1. Define your long-term direction
No formula can guarantee happiness, but
following the fashion of the day is unlikely to bring peace of mind to
anyone. Think of the people you know who are highly satisfied with their
achievements. Is it not true that those are, almost without exception,
individuals who have been pursuing difficult goals year after year?
2. Activity beats immobility
"Fortune comes from turning
tireless thought into faithful practice," wrote Confucius further.
Twenty-five centuries ago, crying and wailing were as much of a waste of
time as they are today. No matter how difficult your situation, taking
determined action is the best alternative. Start doing something today
to improve your state of affairs. A ship in motion keeps advancing even
if there is no wind for a while.
3. Focus on your strengths
Low-cost electronic media are making traditional education obsolete.
Nowadays, you can learn almost anything you want, no matter where you
live. Assess your abilities, choose your field, and develop your
expertise. As Confucius put it, "learning knows no rank and no end."
Concentrate your efforts on cultivating your best qualities and they
will take you as far as you wish to go.
4. Don't let problems get you down
"Wisdom does not fret and knows when to stand
quiet," Confucius reminded his disciples. Life is full of nonsense and
inconvenience. Even if you reside in a prime area, you will be caught in
traffic jams from time to time. You will always have to deal with
individuals who criticize you unfairly no matter what you do. Getting
angry at other people's folly is a waste of resources. Move on and work
at building a better life for yourself.
Everybody's time on earth
is limited. An individual's best chance to attain happiness lies in his
efficient use of resources and opportunities. Define your long-term
ambitions and pursue them with passion. Happiness is not inertia, but
purposeful motion. Become what Confucius defined as "a man of endless
craving, who never tires of learning," and you will be on your way.
For more information about rational living and personal development, I refer you to my book The 10 Principles of Rational Living
[Text: http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com]
[Image by A Girl Next Door under Creative Commons Attribution License. See the license terms under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us]
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