Words For The Weekend – Paulo Coelho

Some great words from one of my favorite writers, Paulo Coelho.

Avoid those who believe they are stronger than you, because they are actually concealing their own fragility.

Stay close to those who are not afraid to be vulnerable, because they have confidence in themselves and know that, at some point in our lives, we all stumble; they do not interpret this as a sign of weakness, but of humanity.

Avoid those who seek friends in order to maintain a certain social status or to open doors they would not otherwise be able to approach.

Stay close to those who are interested in opening only one important door: the door to your heart. They will never invade your soul without your consent or shoot a deadly arrow through that open door.

Friendship is like a river; it flows around rocks, adapts itself to valleys and mountains, occasionally turns into a pool until the hollow in the ground is full and it can continue on its way.

Just as the river never forgets that it’s goal is the sea, so friendship never forgets that its only reason for existing is to love other people

From: Manuscript found in Accra

Thoughts For The Weekend – Success vs. Happiness

When you’re running your own business, or just enjoying your day-to-day work it’s really easy to get carried away in a single project, a new deal or your next invention. But now and then I think that it’s important to take a few steps back, and either enjoy what you’re achieving or change the situation.

Anyhow earlier today I stepped over this list of one-liners around the subject Success vs. Happiness, and even though I find some of them a little bit strange, the most of them are worth thinking about in our everyday struggle towards happiness… or is it success?

Happy Weekend!

Posts within the same category:
A great list for many aspects of life – Pixar’s 22 Rules of storytelling
Why worry? What did you worry about one year ago?

Success is all the money in the world; happiness is having people to spend it on.

Success is measurable; happiness is limitless.

Success is a fancy car; happiness is a great ride.

Success is working hard; happiness is loving the work.

Success is the fame; happiness is the rise.

Success is the race; happiness is the finish line.

Success is having everyone know your name; happiness is having the right people know your name.

Success is being right; happiness is being true.

Success is earned, happiness is achieved.

Success is awards; happiness is its own reward.

Success is money in the bank; happiness can’t be deposited.

Success is private jets; happiness is flying high.

Success is never easy; happiness will never feel difficult.

Success is money; happiness is value.

Success is sacrifice; happiness is plentiful.

Success is late hours; happiness is all day.

Success is second homes; happiness is always home.

Success is material things; happiness is in the materials.

Success is pursuing your dreams; happiness is living your dreams.

Success is praise; happiness is never needing it.

Success is reaching the top; happiness has no ceiling.

Success is all the money in the world; happiness is needing none of it.

Success is doing what you love; happiness is loving what you do.

Success is just ahead; happiness was never behind.

Success is pursued; happiness is acquired.

Success is getting everything you ever wanted; happiness is not needing any of it.

Success is calculated; happiness doesn’t need a cheat sheet.

Success is envied; happiness is shared.

Success is perfection; happiness is embracing the imperfections.

Success is going the distance; happiness is enjoying the destination.

Mark Twain’s Top 9 Tips For Living a Kick-Ass Life

© Pedro Hansson - Autumn Flower
© Pedro Hansson – Autumn Flower

Some really good, and thoughtful insights within these short “tips” by Mark Twain

1. Approve of yourself. 

“A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.”

2. Your limitations may just be in your mind.

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”

3. Lighten up and have some fun. 

“Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing.”

“Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.”

4. Let go of anger.

“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”

5. Release yourself from entitlement.

“Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.”

6. If you’re taking a different path, prepare for reactions.

“A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.”

7. Keep your focus steadily on what you want. 

“Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it.”

8. Don’t focus so much on making yourself feel good. 

“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.”

9. Do what you want to do. 

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Awesome quote. And I really don’t have much to add to that one. Well, maybe to write it down and keep it as a daily reminder – on your fridge or bathroom door – of what you can actually do with your life.

Original article:

Be Brave!

This is  a repost, but I think this quote is helpful when I sometimes face tough decisions.

It’s so easy to worry for things that are out of our control. Today many people worry about the new economic times, some are worrying about their kids and maybe some are walking away from great new possibilities –  a great new life, just because of worry.

I think this quote is good to think about when I’m struggling with a decision, both in my personal and professional life, or just being in a worrying mode.

“If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today.”
– E. Joseph Cossman

Worry
(c) Pedro Hansson – Olympus XZ-1 – Lake Mälaren Stockholm

Story for the weekend – A Clever Dog

A story for the weekend

A Clever Dog

Author Unknown

A butcher watching over his shop is really surprised when he saw a dog coming inside the shop. He shoos him away. But later, the dog is back again.

So, he goes over to the dog and notices he has a note in his mouth. He takes the note and it reads “Can I have 12 sausages and a leg of lamb, please. The dog has money in his mouth, as well.”

The butcher looks inside and, lo and behold, there is a ten dollar Note there. So he takes the money and puts the sausages and lamb in a bag, placing it in the dog’s mouth. The butcher is so impressed, and since it’s about closing time, he decides to shut up shop and follow the dog.

So off he goes. The dog is walking down the street when he comes To a level crossing.

The dog puts down the bag, jumps up and presses the button. Then he waits patiently, bag in mouth, for the lights to turn. They do, and he walks across the road, with the butcher following him all the way.

The dog then comes to a bus stop, and starts looking at the timetable.

The butcher is in awe at this stage. The dog checks out the times, and then sits on one of the seats provided. Along comes a bus. The dog walks around to the front, looks at the number, and goes back to his seat.

Another bus comes. Again the dog goes and looks at the number, notices it’s the right bus, and climbs on. The butcher, by now, open-mouthed, follows him onto the bus.

The bus travels through the town and out into the suburbs, the dog Looking at the scenery. Eventually he gets up, and moves to the front of the bus. He stands on 2 back paws and pushes the button to stop the bus. Then he gets off, his groceries still in his mouth.

Well, dog and butcher are walking along the road, and then the dog turns into a house. He walks up the path, and drops the groceries on the step.

Then he walks back down the path, takes a big run, and throws himself against the door. He goes back down the path, runs up to the door and again, it throws himself against it. There’s no answer at the house, so the dog goes back down the path, jumps up on a narrow wall, and walks along the perimeter of the garden. He gets to the window, and beats his head against it several times, walks back, jumps off, and waits at the door.

The butcher watches as a big guy opens the door, and starts abusing the dog, kicking him and punching him, and swearing at him.

The butcher runs up, and stops the guy. “What in heaven’s name are You doing? The dog is a genius. He could be on TV, for the life of me!” to which the guy responds: “You call this clever? This is the second time this week that this stupid dog’s forgotten his key.”

About Life

“For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.”

– Alfred D. Souza

 

More connected – but more alone?

This video really made me think about the modern way of spending time with each other. The topic is far from new, but I think this short movie really put its finger on today’s society, and I’m the first to agree that I’m absolutely one of those who should think more about this.

So, why are we always “on our way”, instead of grasping the moment we’re in?