This book contains over thiry years of best selling author Tim Connor's journal entries. After speaking in 20 countries and to over 4500 audiences he has gained a wealth of knowledge which he shares with you in this insightful book.
During the past 100 years there have been more than ten million books published on some aspect of success, wealth, and happiness. Now, tell me if you think that in your lifetime you can read a mere .001 percent of them (that’s about 10,000). I know I can’t, and I read over one hundred books per year. So, what’s a person to do if they want to be happier, wealthier, more successful or have better relationships? Which books should you spend your valuable time reading? Which ideas are worth your time to evaluate, consider, or act upon?
I wish someone during the past few hundred years would have taken the time and had the intelligence and patience to distill the core concepts and ideas from just a small fraction of these millions of books. We would then have a summary of the world’s greatest ideas from the most prominent and insightful thinkers over the past four thousand years. I was thinking exactly this as we moved from 2002 into 2003. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not the above person. I don’t have the time, insight, experience or wisdom to determine what is worthy of your time to read.
However, during my life and career I have had the privilege of being exposed to some of the world’s greatest contemporary thinkers. I have also had the curiosity to take the wisdom from the ages to see how it did or could apply to my life and my desire for success, wealth, and happiness.
So, one night I said--why not? And, here you have it. However, a book that effectively summarizes ALL of the great ideas and wisdom of the past few thousand years would be hundreds of volumes in length, and I want to have a life. Therefore, I took the following approach.
During the past thirty years I have taken the time to reflect upon what the great thinkers and philosophers have said or written that I felt was important for me to live a full, positive life. I have accumulated dozens of binders filled with their insight and words of wisdom.
This book is a summary of those binders and of the great ideas that may have a significant impact on your career, life, success, wealth, and happiness.
The book is broken into 26 chapters from A – Z. Each chapter has four sections: One) The words or concepts (beginning with the chosen letter) that relate to some element of success, happiness, wealth, relationships, lifestyle or life balance. Two) Simple and straight forward concepts that I have accumulated over the years that relate to one or more of the listed words. Three) I selected quotes by some of the world’s greatest minds that reinforce critical concepts related to the listed words. Four) A blank page for you to consider what the section means to you. These 26 blank pages could be the most valuable pages of the book.
The content of this book should not be solely read but carefully considered and evaluated based on your current position, circumstances, dreams, and desires for the future. It contains no text other than this introduction. So, if you are looking for a light read, you will be disappointed. It is designed to make you analyze concepts and how they relate to you and the rest of your life.
Before we begin, it is important to provide you with working definitions that I will use as benchmarks for concepts of success and happiness. Success is not about what you accomplish, own, achieve, or how you spend your time. If you are wealthy – congratulations. If you are poor, it does not mean that you are unsuccessful. Yes, if you have wealth, you have more opportunities in life and have a lifestyle some may consider better. I would caution, however, that not every financially successful person is happy. I would also add that it is not necessary to have wealth to be considered a success. Success is not
about what you have but who you are and who you are becoming. Whether you are a teacher, parent or the president of a multinational conglomerate, success is about the ability to use what you have achieved toward the benefit of others or mankind. Happiness, like success, is not about what you own or want to own. It is about learning to live in harmony with your fellow man whether he/she is your spouse, friend, fellow employee or neighbor. Happiness is inner peace and comfort with the realization that I may want more, but if I don’t obtain it, I can and will be happy with where I am, what I am achieving or where I am headed.
You may take issue with either or both of the previous definitions. I have lived my life with a simple philosophy: You don’t have the right to define my own success or happiness, and I can’t define them for you. The simple question I would ask you before we begin is: Does your current definition or philosophy on happiness give you the peace, satisfaction, contentment and results that you want or feel you deserve?
If this book contributes to your success, happiness, relationships, or wealth, or in any way improves the quality of your life, the time and effort put into this project will have been worthwhile. Give a copy to a friend, relative or co-worker who is searching for something in their life. It would make a thoughtful gift. I wish you peace, joy, love, happiness and hope all of your dreams come true.
To benefit from this book, I recommend that you reflect on the words, quotes and ideas from my journal and write your comments in the section provided. You don’t expect me to do all the work, do you? I labored over the book to give you a tool to finding more success and happiness. All you have to do is read a little every day and jot down your thoughts. If you do this religiously, I personally guarantee that all of your dreams can be realized.
Excerpt
Everywhere you look, life is getting more and more complicated. While on the surface technology may appear to simplify your life there are always tradeoffs. What are some of the factors that seem to be moving our lives faster and making them more complicated? Here are a few:
More traffic
Increased consumer choices
Faster computers and modems
Cellular phones and pagers
Time demands of all kinds
The clock and calendar that seem to be moving faster and faster.
All kinds of personal and career stressors.
I could go on, but you are well aware of the areas of your life that seem to push you into more and faster.
I recently read a survey that said (I am always suspect of surveys but here it is anyway) 70% of the population (USA) wanted more than anything else to simplify their lives. Yet these same very people keep buying more and faster toys and stuff. Interesting paradox. We have been led to believe that more makes it easier. Faster makes it easier. I don’t think so.
As we approach the end of this year I suggest you conduct a self-evaluation of where your life seems to be too complicated. Only when you determine in what areas you are guilty of complicating your life can you change it if you decide to.
Here are a few things to consider:
1. Spend more time with nature. The relentless yet relaxing pace of nature can help you keep things in perspective.
2. Every week throw something a way or donate it. And don’t replace it with something else.
3. Refuse to be prodded into buying the latest technology. Faster computer chips may bring you information faster but I’ll bet you can’t handle the information you have access to now.
4. Take mini retreats (an hour, day weekend or week) and get away and relax and reflect on what is really important in life.
5. Reduce the clutter in your life. Do you really need all that stuff?
6. Say no more often.
7. Junk projects or activities that keep stressed and filled with pressure and keep you from what is really important in your life.
8. Spend more time with the people in your life that really matter.
9. Don’t let other people’s agendas become yours.
10. Relax, you are not going to get out of this life alive so what’s the rush.
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