Friday Review: Success
How do you define Success? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“Success is a ladder that cannot be climbed with your hands in your pockets.”
“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”
Tag Archives: Barry Demp
What is a normal goal to a young person
“What is a normal goal to a young person becomes a neurotic hindrance in old age.”
—Carl Gustav Jung, 20th Century founder of analytical psychology
Image from Unsplash by Estée Janssens
Today’s quote underscores the necessity of adapting goals to life’s stages.
External success in youth often becomes a barrier to inner fulfillment as we age.
Jung emphasizes that older adults should:
- Embrace inner work: focus on self-reflection, reconciling opposites, and accepting mortality.
- Releasing ego-centrist goals: shed rigid roles and societal expectations to foster authenticity and connection to the collective unconscious.
- Accepting the “Afternoon of Life” view of aging as a time for harvest and find meaning in introspection rather than external achievements.
EXERCISE:
In what ways are you still clinging to certain goals of your youth?
How would greater acceptance of the passage of time — and your current stage of life — guide you on a better path with greater purpose and fulfillment?
There seems to be some perverse human characteristic
“There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult.”
—Warren Buffett, American investor and philanthropist
Image from Unsplash by Sarah Dorweiler
In a world drowning in complexity, Occam’s Razor — a 14th century principle favoring the simplest explanation — offers a lifeline.
By prioritizing straightforward solutions, we cut through noise and inefficiency.
It sharpens decision-making by filtering distractions, helping us focus on what truly matters.
It also fosters critical thinking, urging us to question assumptions and avoiding biases.
In an era of endless options, embracing simplicity isn’t just practical — it’s liberating.
Taking this approach can help clear the way to dissolve life’s chaos into far more manageable, actionable steps forward.
Leonardo da Vinci is famously quoted as saying, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
EXERCISE:
Where in your world are you over-complicating things?
How would taking a simpler approach to certain matters be a far more effective path toward greater clarity and results?
Optimism is a performance enhancing drug
“Optimism is a performance enhancing drug that’s both legal and free.”
—Shane Parrish, author of the Farnum Street Blog
Image from Unsplash by Ahmed Dayan
Optimism isn’t just a mindset—it’s a catalyst for breakthroughs.
Like a well-timed spark, it ignites resilience, creativity, and collaboration.
When you choose to see challenges as opportunities, you unlock potential that doubt would bury.
This “drug” costs nothing, requires no prescription, and has no side effects — except results.
EXERCISE:
Start today by identifying one small win you desire.
Amplify it mentally with your powers of positive thinking, and consider partnering with a coach or mentor to tackle even bigger wins in the future.
Life becomes richer when you cultivate
Life becomes richer when you cultivate a more diverse personal garden.
—Calm App Reflection
Image from Unsplash by Carmen Meurer
Just as a garden thrives with varied plants, our lives flourish when we nurture diverse relationships, experiences, and perspectives.
A mono-culture of routine stifles growth, while intentional diversity — whether through new skills, unexpected connections, or stepping beyond comfort zones — unlocks hidden potential.
Consider the “seeds” you’ve planted.
Are they limited to familiar soil, or do they stretch into uncharted territory?
Growth often lies in the new and unexpected.
EXERCISE:
Identify one area of your life to diversify this week — it might be your work, a hobby, or a conversation topic with someone outside your present communities.
How do these efforts enrich your harvest?
Friday Review: Strategy
Friday Review: Strategy
What are your strategies for success? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“Procrastination is the thief of time. Collar him.”
“Don’t Let the worst people get the best of you.”
The problem with holding a grudge is
“The problem with holding a grudge is that it makes your hands too full to do anything useful.”
—Seth Godin, American author and a former dot-com business executive
Image from Unsplash by Resume Genius
Where in your world are you holding a grudge? In what ways has it impacted your productivity and your most important relationships?
Did you know…
- Grudges consume cognitive resources diverting focus from work tasks that require concentration.
- Chronic resentment elevates stress levels and increases the risk of anxiety, depression and physical ailments like hypertension.
- Emotional exhaustion from grudges lowers resilience and impairs problem-solving and creativity.
- Grudge-holding often correlates with social withdrawal, hindering new relationships and deepening loneliness.
EXERCISE:
Letting go of grudges is an act of self-liberation. Acceptance, forgiveness, perspective shifts, and intentional boundary setting are some approaches to consider to free your hands for better things.
Men go to far greater lengths to avoid what they fear than to obtain what they desire
“Men go to far greater lengths to avoid what they fear than to obtain what they desire.”
—Dan Brown, author of The DaVinci Code
Image from Unsplash by M.T. ElGassier
Loss aversion is rooted in prospect theory, which indicates that people fear losses twice as intensely as they value gain.
Neuron-scientific evidence shows the brain’s amygdala reacts more strongly to losses which amplify emotional discomfort. These biases drive risk-adverse behavior such as clinging to familiar routines or avoiding investments due to fear of failure.
The pursuit of dreams is fueled by intrinsic motivation and self-determination theory which emphasizes aligning actions with personal values and autonomy. Although these kinds of actions foster self-actualization and long-term fulfillment, such efforts usually require confronting loss aversion’s gravitational pull.
EXERCISE:
In what ways can you overcome the primal risk-averse response of loss-aversion and be more intentional and self-aware of your intrinsic motivation to realize far more of your desires?
It’s more important to have vision than plans
“It’s more important to have vision than plans. You’ll often have to change plans to realize your vision.”
—Jon Gordon, Bestselling Author & Keynote Speaker
Image from Unsplash by Sven Mieke
The distinction between vision and plans lies in their role in guiding action toward our goals.
While both are critical, vision provides foundational purpose and adaptability, whereas plans offer tactical execution.
A vision defines the aspirational purpose that inspires and unifies stakeholders. It serves as a long-term compass, ensuring efforts remain aligned with core values and ideals, even as circumstances change.
Plans translate the vision into actionable steps but risk rigidity if disconnected from the vision. Without a vision, plans may become misaligned with broader objectives, or fail to inspire sustained commitment.
EXERCISE:
In what ways are your current plans anchored in your vision?
How does your core purpose support the needed flexibility, adaptability, and resilience so necessary in our rapidly changing world?
Our passions give us power
Our passions give us power. Pursue them and discover greater purpose and delight in your life.
—Calm App Reflection
Image from Unsplash by Ian Schneider
Purpose is the reason we journey.
Passion is the fire that lights our way.
When these two forces align, they ignite our lives with clarity and energy.
Purpose anchors us in our “why.” Passion fuels the drive to purse it.
Together they transform ordinary days into extraordinary days.
EXERCISE:
Reflect on one area of your life where your purpose and passions intersect.
What actions can and will you take today that will inspire and delight yourself and others in your world?