Regular followers of this blog know how much I love quoting the late American radio announcer, author, and motivational speaker Earl Nightingale. His thoughtful and poignant words not only outlive him (Mr. Nightingale passed away in 1989), but convey a timeless logic that many of us can stand to heed in our personal lives today.
Life is all about the choices we make every single day. Unless you are a very young child, your life is the sum of all of the choices you made up to this point.
My decision to join the United States Army 32 years ago at the age of 17 certainly shaped the trajectory of my life up to this point. Serving in the military enabled me to see the world, honed my skills, and gave me a lifetime career.
Far too many people in this country hold the mistaken belief that they have very little control over their own lives. Most people never stop to think just how much their own seemingly innocuous choices end up having a tremendous impact on their lives down the line.
Few people realize that success is relative because they mistakenly believe “success” is supposed to translate to “external validation”. If friends, family, and even total strangers don’t perceive you as a successful person, then you must not be successful. The truth is that being happy doing something that affords you the lifestyle you want is what makes you successful, regardless of what others think.
To quote Mr. Nightingale, “you are responsible for how your life turns out, and your attitude shapes that life for better or worse”.
I close this post with yet another Nightingale quote:
A great attitude is not the result of success; success is the result of a great attitude.
Earl Nightingale
-The Rational Ram
The Rational Ram 