Dont Seek Success; Seek Self-Actualization

"You make a living by what you get.
You make a life by what you give."

So said Winston Churchill. Cooperation and giving is better for you than competition and taking.

Competitors do not see it this way. To them, making money is an overriding goal so they and their families can live in "style." In the name of money they run in the rat race. When they win and become CEO rats, they wonder why they are depressed and unhappy with their lives.

The reason is simple. They do not have a larger purpose. There is no meaning in the work they do. They are not being helpful to people. They are not givers, but takers. They are not cooperators but competitors.

Cooperators have a vision to serve other people. If they help others by doing what they love to do they eventually reach self-actualization.

Self-actualization is the highest need in Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:

• PHYSIOLOGICAL - Basic living needs, such as food, water, oxygen and sex

• SAFETY - Once physiological needs are satisfied, you need to have a home and other forms of security

• BELONGING - So far you have taken care of yourself. Once you do this, you look to make friends, find someone to love and in general feel part of a community

• SELF-ESTEEM - You need self-confidence, to be appreciated for what you are and be treated with dignity

• SELF-ACTUALIZATION - This is the highest level. Once your basic needs are supplied, you seek ways to reach your highest potential

Maslow also said:

"Ours is a money and power society, and so long as it is, it is thereby insecure."

Yet most people chase money so they may be called a success. Success, what would you do to achieve it? What would you give up in order to win? Would you do what you hate in order to make millions of dollars? Would you slavishly follow rules laid down by others in order to ingratiate yourself with them and thereby get "promoted"?

Do you want to live in the fast lane? According to John Jensen there is one thing wrong about it:

"The trouble with life in the fast lane is that you get to the other end in an awful hurry."

Competing wildly to make piles of money so that you would be recognized as a success, while all your personal relationships fall apart, seems to be the goal of many. Does it make sense?

You can achieve the real thing, self-actualization, by seeking ways to help other people in your area of expertise while pursuing what you love to do. Pursuing what you love to do beats competing for success. Instead of working hard, you do not work at all. Doing what you enjoy can not be called work. Instead of sacrificing your body, mind and spirit in the interest of making a buck, you do as you wish. Mark Albion thinks it is a shame to sacrifice this way. He says:

"Do what you love. Whether or not money follows is not vital. What's vital is that you won't be wasting your life."

Instead of being rewarded by others, reward yourself. The great dancer, Baryshnikov, got it right when he said:

"I do not try to dance better than anyone else.
I only try to dance better than myself."

Instead of traveling in the fast lane, travel in your own private lane.

Self-actualization brings people contentment and happiness. Self-actualization comes easily to cooperators and with difficulty to competitors.

Cooperators may affect not only their own lives and the lives of their family members, they have an impact on the world. Yes, they do. Most of us are skeptical about this because we feel helpless compared to the great leaders and shakers of the world. But Margaret Mead cheers us on:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."

Be a cooperator. Do what you love. Serve others. Reach self-actualization. Make life better for you as well as for the world.

About The Author

Paul Siegel is the author of "WE DON'T AGREE, BUT... How to Live in an Age of Terrorism," from which the above article is adapted. The book may be obtained from Amazon.com for $17.95. The article may be used freely, provided the author and the book source are acknowledged. The author is also called Paul "the soaring" Siegel because of his performance on the platform.

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Google News Updated : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 05:51:03 GMT Bush, allies seek to calm jittery investors - BusinessWeek Bush, allies seek to calm jittery investors BusinessWeek - 4 hours ago By JENNIFER LOVEN and MARTIN CRUTSINGER President Bush and financial leaders from nations rich and poor pledged Saturday to intensify their efforts to unblock a frozen financial system before it does more damage to an increasingly shaky global economy. Bush Says US Must Take Lead in Solving Crisis (Update3) Bloomberg Bush, allies seek to calm jittery investors The Associated Press New York Times - Austin American-Statesman - AFP - KSFY all 1,542 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:30:21 GMT On the trail to the White House - Fort Worth Star Telegram The Age On the trail to the White House Fort Worth Star Telegram - 33 minutes ago Sen. Barack Obama, Democratic presidential nominee, at a rally in Philadelphia on Saturday. AP/ALEX BRANDON Today’s headlines Report stings Palin over troopergate flap; Raw anger showing up in McCain crowds, candidate taking steps to minimize it; ... McCain Asks Supporters to Show Obama Respect Wall Street Journal Obama Thanks McCain for Urging Supporters to be Respectful Voice of America Washington Post - Chicago Tribune - ABC News - Bloomberg all 733 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 05:17:46 GMT Singer Lisa Marie Presley gives birth to twins - The Associated Press The Associated Press Singer Lisa Marie Presley gives birth to twins The Associated Press - 3 hours ago LOS ANGELES (AP) - Lisa Marie Presley is a mom again. A publicist says the 40-year-old singer gave birth Tuesday to twin girls, whose names were not released. Lisa Marie Presley delivers twins: report Reuters Today's News: Our Take - Lisa Marie Presley Gives Birth to Twin Girls Seattle Post Intelligencer E! Online - People Magazine - Monsters and Critics.com - Hollywood.com all 569 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 02:11:28 GMT Theatrical Review of Body of Lies - DVDTOWN.com Theatrical Review of Body of Lies DVDTOWN.com - 5 hours ago By Jason P. Vargo "Body of Lies" is a certain type of movie designed for a certain type of moviegoer. I think the tagline describes the movie perfectly, actually. Body of Lies E! Online 'Body of Lies': Desert Norm, By Kurt Loder MTV.com Boston Herald - Los Angeles Times - Radar Online - Entertainment Weekly all 1,041 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:19:39 GMT McCain supporters face uphill climb in blue Jersey - Newsday Sunday Times.lk McCain supporters face uphill climb in blue Jersey Newsday - 15 hours ago By WAYNE PARRY | AP Writer WOODBRIDGE, NJ - Walter Zjawin is trying to help John McCain do what no Republican has done in 20 years: win a presidential general election in New Jersey. Maine now on McCain radar Central Maine Morning Sentinel McCain inches closer in Saturday's Gallup Kansas City Star Boston Globe - CBS News - Washington Post - Ethiopian Review all 220 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:04:37 GMT Five killed in New York fire; 300 acres burn in Napa Valley - Austin American-Statesman CBS News Five killed in New York fire; 300 acres burn in Napa Valley Austin American-Statesman - 1 hour ago NEW YORK - A family of five, including three children, died in a blaze that filled an apartment with thick smoke and kept the victims from escaping through the front door, fire officials said. Napa County wildfire forces evacuations of over 100 homes Los Angeles Times Fire Threatens Napa Valley Homes and Wineries New York Times KEYC - CBS 5 - San Francisco Chronicle - WSBtv.com all 422 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:27:05 GMT Van driver's work in Mass. aided Nobel winners - Boston Globe Voice of America Van driver's work in Mass. aided Nobel winners Boston Globe - 1 hour ago HUNTSVILLE, Ala.—When two American scientists won a Nobel Prize this week in chemistry, the driver of a car dealership's courtesy van had reason to take special interest. Video: Nobel Chemistry Prize Goes for Jellyfish Protein AssociatedPress Comment by Jeremy M. Berg, Ph.D., Director National Institute of General Medical Sciences The Daily Yomiuri - The Associated Press - Los Angeles Times - WTEN all 1,250 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:14:18 GMT Clickbank Affiliate Earn Money At Home

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