Read earlier article that I published on this topic earlier.
Better yet get hold of the book from which the concepts of the article were taken. The Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand Russell is a classic of self help. I first read the book when I was around 20 and I still keep a copy of it by my side.
So what more do I have to add on this subject.
Read my Kindle book if you have not already read it. I wrongly titled the book Surviving in Life. I really should have titled it Career Survival Secrets. I’ll make the change in the title soon. Here is the link
Now you might ask why I, after reading all these books and being able to give such good advice, haven’t been able to make a success of my career myself. It’s a fair question but I am not sure I have a satisfactory answer.
But the main reason is I think the following:
I lacked the emotional balance or emotional stability to be a doer and an achiever.
I have discussed the subject in the above book so I’ll just summarize the points. In order to be a person who can deliver what he has decided or what he has promised you need to have emotional balance. This means both being able to know what one is capable of and having the determination and the single mindedness to be able to achieve what one has decided.
Warren Buffett in his foreword to The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham pinpoints two qualities that are needed to make money in the stock markets. Firstly you need an intellectual framework which Graham’s book provides. The second factor comes from within. It is the quality I lacked – emotional balance.
These two qualities are also necessary and sufficient to be successful in your career and in your life.
I can give you some tips on how to do the self analysis to determine for yourself whether you have emotional balance or not. I do not have a cut and dried technique – only general advice. These methods can also be used to do a full character analysis. It will work in most cases if your judgment is sound. Here goes:
- First is understand that you are not carrying out a judgmental exercise. You are doing a self analysis to describe and not to judge. As is mentioned in the Bible: Judge not that you be not judged. Jesus was talking about not judging others but you can start by not judging yourself.
- Use the minimum number of words to describe your character attributes. One word, two words or three words max.
- Get the help of some trusted friend or elder to help you understand your dominant character traits.
You don’t need to write a book on yourself – only pinpoint about six to ten dominant traits that make up your character and personality.
As the Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu said:
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
I have mentioned some remedies if you – after introspection – conclude that you do not have emotional balance in the book above. Please read the book to find out.
I’ll end here. Please explore this blog for more articles on Self Help, Spirituality and Politics. If you would like to contact me the link is below.
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