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October 21, 2024 • 18 mins

We will explore success across different times, from the ancient Greeks to the Hindus and modern Positive Psychology. We will apply the Wheel of Life to your current life.

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(00:00):
Chapter 1 What Success Means to You

(00:03):
Quote, Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you are right.
End quote, Henry Ford.
Your life journey starts here.
The first step on this path is to define what success means to you.
After that we will do an exercise called the Wheel of Life, which will help you identify

(00:25):
what is most important to you.
The first step in the exploration phase.
Obviously, you can't do everything you want in the different areas of your life, so here
we will focus on what will have the greatest impact.
To get started I suggest making an initial reflection by answering the question, What
does success mean to you?

(00:46):
Identify three or four things you think are most important to success.
Also, reflect on what you are willing to sacrifice to achieve the success you set out to achieve.
See pages 7 and 8 in the PDF workbook.
Take a few minutes to reflect on these points and continue listening when you are ready.

(01:06):
Reflection 1.
Success in Life
What does success mean to you?
What are you willing to sacrifice to achieve that success?
Three perspectives on life.
In this section we will review what they said about success in ancient times and what positive
psychology proposes.
I will start with the perspective of the Greeks and continue with the Hindu view before ending

(01:30):
with Martin Seligman, an American psychologist who has popularized positive psychology.
What was success in life according to the Greeks?
If there is one philosopher who is still relevant despite the centuries, it is Aristotle.
His book, Nikomachian Ethics, is considered a masterpiece of philosophy and is still read

(01:52):
by many to this day.
Apparently, the book comprises lecture notes from one of his students.
In the book, Aristotle presents his ethical philosophy.
In his view, ethics are not a series of rules or commandments that we must follow, but instead
a long path of developing our character, including perfecting certain virtues.

(02:13):
Aristotle defined virtue as a habit developed through the constant practice of balanced
moral actions.
The virtues lie in the middle between two extremes, excess and deficiency.
Extremes represent vices and unbalanced behaviors that divert people from taking the right actions.
For example, bravery lies in the middle ground between cowardice, deficiency, and recklessness,

(02:37):
excess.
Aristotle believed that practicing virtue leads to a good life.
He used the Greek word eudaimonia, which can be translated as blossoming, a concept I call
the full life, the book's title.
Flourishing is achieved through an ethically balanced and virtuous life.

(02:57):
For Aristotle, virtue is not just a behavior, but an integral part of personality.
To achieve the full life, you must comply with four conditions.
Meaning and purpose.
In other words, your activity and actions in the world have a positive impact.
In addition, you must have a purpose to guide you.

(03:18):
Relationships with others.
For example, Aristotle places great importance on friends.
Moreover, we have an obligation to contribute to society.
Sufficient economic situation to lead a dignified life.
Aristotle was a practical man.
Lead a virtuous life.
Aristotle identified 12 virtues that fall into two main categories, intellectual and

(03:42):
ethical.
Intellectual virtues are skills related to reasoning, theorizing, and knowledge.
Ethical virtues involve the practice of correct moral and ethical habits.
There are four ethical virtues.
Prudence is the ability to judge what is right and wrong in specific situations.

(04:02):
Prudence is the courage and determination to face pain, adversity, and danger.
Temperance controls desires and passions to avoid excessive behaviors such as pleasure,
food, and drink.
Fairness is the ability to make fair decisions and treat others fairly and respectfully.
A very important concept in Aristotle's ethics is practical wisdom.

(04:25):
This is the ability to apply the knowledge that one acquires in daily life, to make
sound decisions, and achieve the full life.
Practical wisdom involves deciding the best course of action in a particular situation,
considering the circumstances and consequences at play.
Practical wisdom is important because it is not enough to know, it is also necessary

(04:48):
to know how to properly apply it in practice.
According to Aristotle, practical wisdom is acquired through experience and reflection
on our actions, and can only be attained over time and with consistent practice.
For Aristotle, reason differentiates us from other animals, which makes us human.

(05:08):
The full life results from applying our rationality to the problems that life presents to us.
Epicurus, another Greek philosopher, takes a different perspective on life.
For him, what is important is a life that holds two characteristics.
Adaraxia, a life free of worries and fears.
It is a state of tranquility and inner serenity achieved through the absence of emotional and

(05:31):
mental disturbances that can distract attention from the important things in life.
Think of it as a state of mind that is balanced and stable.
It is achieved by eliminating or minimizing the desires, fears, and passions that upset
and disturb us.
For Epicurus, Adaraxia was one of the most important goals in life, as it allows us to

(05:53):
achieve happiness and inner peace.
Avoiding suffering and seeking pleasure in life.
This does not mean that we pursue indiscriminate pleasures that will end up causing suffering.
Epicurus differentiated between natural pleasures and unnecessary pleasures.
Natural pleasures such as food, water, and shelter are necessary for our survival and

(06:16):
well-being.
To avoid excesses, these natural pleasures should be sought and enjoyed in moderation.
On the other hand, unnecessary pleasures, such as wealth, power, and fame, are not necessary
for survival and can be detrimental to our long-term health and happiness.
Therefore, they should be avoided entirely or enjoyed in moderation as their constant

(06:40):
pursuit can lead to anxiety, stress, and unhappiness.
Epicurus believed that happiness and true pleasure could be found in moderation and
balance.
Avoiding the natural pleasures of life and avoiding unnecessary pleasures that lead to
dissatisfaction and unhappiness.
While Aristotle prioritizes our reason and focuses the good life on achieving meaning

(07:02):
and perfecting our character in the long run, Epicurus focuses on the present and the enjoyment
of simple pleasures.
What can we learn from these two Greek philosophers?
In my understanding, the full life combines both perspectives, a rational life that is
more future-oriented with an emotional life that is more oriented to the present, the

(07:24):
brain and the heart work together in tandem.
We are all on a journey and we build our lives along the way.
It is fair to say that you shape your character with the choices you make.
While you won't always get it right, the important thing is that you learn from your
mistakes and move on that are informed.
Reason will guide you down the path, but also don't forget the pleasures that life

(07:48):
offers you, such as friendship and beautiful things like music, art, traveling and good
food.
A life with meaning, but also that you enjoy it.
Everything in moderation, nothing in excess.
Let us now look at what another ancient wisdom offers us.
What is success according to Hinduism?

(08:11):
In this section, I do not intend to expound on the Hindu philosophy of life, for that
would require an entire book.
Instead, I will focus on a model that describes four stages of a life called ashram.
Student, brahmachara, the stage in which young people learn religious traditions and rituals.

(08:31):
The goal is to acquire knowledge and education.
Family life, rihastha.
In this stage, men and women get married and have children.
In addition, they work to provide for their family and ensure that their children get
a proper education.
Retirement, vanaprastha.
The stage in which parents withdraw from their family responsibilities and teach wisdom

(08:52):
and values to the next generation.
Renunciation, senyasa.
Individuals abandon their worldly life, engage in meditation and seek liberation from the
wheel of birth and rebirth, samsara.
I want to translate this Hindu model into a more up-to-date language.
As I understand it, life has, in general, three stages.

(09:15):
Student, during childhood and youth, we learn the values and skills necessary to face life
in society.
Provider, most people are dedicated to their work and family at this stage.
The main goal is to provide for the family's well-being and ability to live a stable life.
Retiree, after completing their work and family responsibilities, seniors devote themselves

(09:38):
to the activities they enjoy while contributing to society with their expertise.
What can we learn from Hindu philosophy?
The main lesson to take away is that life does not follow a straight line.
Instead, it consists of different life stages that demand different responses.
Thus, our lives must adapt to these different stages and evolve over time.

(10:02):
The stages don't necessarily have to be like those indicated by Hinduism, but they are
usually the most common in a person's life.
Our values evolve accordingly and may even change entirely.
For example, we have different priorities when we are in the education phase as when
we are responsible for a family.
Personally, I find the last life stage in Hinduism renunciation interesting.

(10:27):
In the West, we don't tend to withdraw from the world at the end of our lives.
In my case, I feel very comfortable as a retiree who is still active in the world, especially
because I can do activities that I didn't previously have time for, such as writing
this book.
Now, let's jump several centuries and explore what positive psychology tells us.

(10:49):
What is success in life according to positive psychology?
In this section, I will refer to Martin Seligman, an American psychologist and professor of
psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, who is also president of the American Psychological
Association, APA.
Seligman has written several books including Authentic Happiness and Flourish, in which

(11:12):
he explores how people can build more fulfilling lives by developing emotional skills and
practicing positive values.
Seligman has also been recognized for his work in treating depression and other emotional
disorders.
Seligman presents the model for happiness and well-being known as PERMA, an acronym
that stands for Positive Emotion, refers to the experience of feeling positive emotions,

(11:37):
such as happiness, joy, and gratitude, among others.
Engagement is the involvement in activities or tasks that are considered meaningful and
generate a sense of fulfillment.
Relationships, positive relationships with others can generate greater well-being and
social support from different areas.

(11:57):
Meaning.
People with a sense of purpose in their lives, finding short or long-term goals and opportunities,
have higher levels of psychological well-being.
Achievement is a sense of accomplishment that refers to achieving the goals you have set
for yourself.
Seligman's PERMA model is quite comprehensive, as it refers to positive emotions and other

(12:19):
aspects of life, such as relationships, occupation, accomplishments, and meaning.
Under these five points form the basis of sustainable well-being and happiness.
What can we learn from positive psychology?
Martin Seligman, a leading international figure in positive psychology, frequently refers

(12:40):
to the philosopher Aristotle.
In a way, Seligman's model combines the philosophy of Aristotle with research in positive psychology.
Seligman gives a fuller view of what a full life could look like through his work.
As we've seen from the previous three perspectives, success is much more complex than we tend to

(13:00):
believe.
In addition, it can vary depending on what phase of our life we are in.
In general, the answers I get in my course is to the question, what does success mean
to you?
Tend to take two forms.
The first defines success based on external signs such as wealth, fame, and power.
The second way is focused on internal factors such as satisfaction with our relationships,

(13:25):
an occupation that motivates us, and having a purpose in life.
External success is not necessarily negative.
Some may even achieve a combination of internal and external success.
The problem is when we sacrifice everything to obtain that external success.
The external signs of success may disappear while the internal is more stable.

(13:47):
I'm not against having money, fame, and power, but we can't base our happiness solely on
those factors.
Money is not inherently bad.
Its value depends on how we use it, and the same goes for power and fame.
Ultimately, the most important thing is our values, character quality, and relationships
with the people we love and who love us.

(14:10):
As they say, money can buy a big house, but cannot buy a home.
Money can buy a luxury watch, but cannot buy time.
I think you understand the point.
Now, it's time to dive into the second reflection of the book, where we'll explore what aspects
are truly important in your life.
We're talking about the Wheel of Life, a model originally developed by Paul J. Meyer

(14:33):
in the 1960s.
Meyer, an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and founder of success motivation International,
SMI, created this model to evaluate different areas of our lives and find balance and satisfaction.
Over the years, various experts in personal development and coaching have adapted and
modified the Wheel of Life.

(14:55):
Please take some time to complete the reflection on pages 9 and 10 of the PDF workbook before
continuing to listen.
This reflection is very important for the rest of the book.
According to the Wheel of Life, the eight areas, personal health, taking care of your
body is essential, which includes physical exercise, nutrition, and rest.

(15:19):
Personal growth, your development as a person includes education, readings, lectures, etc.
Hobbies, these are the things you do because you enjoy them.
It's not a question of money, but of personal satisfaction.
Spiritual, include your religious beliefs or other activities that connect you to something
beyond yourself.

(15:41):
Relations, include your family and close friends.
Society, these are your activities in community service such as donating to a charity or volunteering.
Work, professional activity for which you receive financial compensation.
Finance, this is basically money and property that you own.

(16:02):
From the lines that go to the center of the wheel, you will find numbers ranging from
10, maximum satisfaction, to one, minimum satisfaction.
First you need to measure where you are in each area of your life.
It's a subjective measurement based on how you feel.
Then you mark each area again, but this time indicating how you'd like to be.

(16:24):
If you're thinking to give all 10, consider that maybe this is being unrealistic.
The goal is to focus on the areas that have the greatest gaps.
In the example on page 9 in the PDF workbook, the outer line indicates the desired level
in three areas, health, occupation, and finance.
I could go on with the others, but we'll leave it at three just as an illustration.

(16:47):
In your case, complete all areas.
And because of the difference between the lines, health and work issues are of more
concern to this person.
Now it's your turn, go to page 10 of the PDF workbook.
First, note how you see yourself now in the eight areas, and then how you would like to
be.
The next step on page 11 in the PDF workbook is to complete the table indicating what actions

(17:12):
you could take to improve your level of satisfaction in each area.
You can review all areas or focus on the ones with the biggest deficits.
It's entirely up to you.
This is the end of this reflection.
We'll use your Wheel of Life later in the book, but first we will do something else.
If you look at the areas on the wheel, they can be grouped into three concepts.

(17:35):
You, health, personal growth, hobbies, and spirituality.
Other, relationships, and society.
Occupation, work, and finance.
With these three concepts, I will build the lifehouse of the full life.
See page 12 of the PDF workbook.
The foundation of the house is you.

(17:56):
The full life begins with you.
It's not selfishness, it's realism.
You need to take care of yourself to be able to contribute to others or your work.
If you're not strong, the house will sink.
Relationships with others and your work are the pillars that hold the roof up.
Columns can collapse, but if the foundation is firm, you can always raise new columns.

(18:19):
In the next three chapters, we'll cover the three elements of the house.
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