“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Wayne Gretzky
Research of my own and others suggest the positive emotions are associated with a wide range of outcomes including longevity, physical health and psychological well-being ((Giesser, B., Coleman, L., Fisher, S. Guttry,M., Herlihy, E., Nonoguchi, S., Nowack, D., Roberts, C, & Nowack, K. (2013). Living Well With Multiple Sclerosis: Comparisons of a 12-Week Blended Learning, Classroom-Based and Online Programs. Unpublished Manuscript. Multiple Sclerosis Society Southern California and Nevada Chapter)).
Chasing meaning will always turn out better than trying to avoid what might be frightening, anxiety producing, scary in life. So, if you want to maximize life success:
- Believe that most “breaks†and “luck†in life happen at the intersection between preparation and opportunity…
- Believe in the good of people (belief in God is optional)…
- Believe that we all need things in life that we don’t want and want things in life we don’t need…
- Believe that things wind up being the very best for those who make the very best of how things wind up…
- Believe that few things in life are as bad as we anticipate they will be nor quite as good as we count on them to be…
- Believe that we should always strive to feel good, rather than, to just have good feelings…
- Believe that someday really isn’t a day of the week….
- Believe that dreams don’t really work unless you do….
- Believe that if at first you don’t succeed—you are pretty much about average…
- Believe that the two most difficult things in life to handle are failure and success…
- Believe that all families are a little bit like brownies—mostly sweet with a few nuts as part of the mix…
- Believe that when life tests us it’s always best to turn to family and friends…
- Believe and cherish the moment you are in, as yesterday has died and tomorrow has not yet arrived…
- Believe that forgiveness is the fertilizer to enhancing personal relations and intimacy…
- Believe that giving gratitude for what you have is the true secret of happiness…
- Believe that the best vitamin to take to become a compassionate person is B1…
- Believe that jumping for joy is really a good form of exercise …
- Believe that you can’t get what you want from others in life if you don’t risk to at least ask for it…
- Believe that the simplest act of kindness can make a big difference to others…
- Believe that “richness†is measured not by how much money we have but how much others love us…
- Believe that life fulfillment comes from doing what you have the greatest passion for and what you most believe in …
- Believe that the three words, “I am sorry†can almost always mend and improve relationships with others…
- Believe that the only real power people have over us is what we give them…
- Believe that the right path is always to follow your own heart…
- Believe in yourself and others will always believe in you…
You are what you believe…Be well….
Ken Nowack
Kenneth Nowack, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist (PSY13758) and President & Chief Research Officer/Co-Founder of Envisia Learning, is a member of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations. Ken also serves as the Associate Editor of Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research. His recent book Clueless: Coaching People Who Just Don’t Get It is available for free for a limited time by signing up for free blog updates (Learn more at our website)
