"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die. For the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch I’ve got to hold up for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it to future generations."
—GEORGE BERNARD SHAW (1856-1950)
Irish playwright
It’s so easy to be happy — just have a drink, a great meal, go to a movie. What’s the big deal about being happy?
Just about every ad we see is trying to sell us happiness. Get a new car, a new house, a new hair color, and you’ll be happy. Have a Coke and go on vacation and you’ll be real happy . . . or so the media would like us to think.
IT’S A LIE!
THE TRUTH: There’s something that’ll make you much happier than being happy. It’s called FULFILLMENT.
Ed Ferraro was a guest speaker yesterday in my classes at Montclair State. Last summer between July 17 and August 23, Ed was not happy. During those 37 days, Ed and his friend Glen rode their Trek bikes 3,222 miles from Portland, Oregon to Kasser Theatre at Montclair State University. (for pictures from Ed's cross-country trek, click here)
Ed and Glen biked 100-150 miles per day. They were chased by wolves, ran over snakes, dealt with physical pain and mental boredom. Ed made it clear that he wasn’t happy. Oh, he was motivated; he was focused; he was productive BUT IT WAS DIFFICULT.
At the Amherst College wrestling room, there used to be a sign that read:
“The hard times you go through
will be the good times you’ll have.”
Listening to Ed speak, you know that he biked right down the highways and byways of difficulties and ended up at an extraordinary place: FULFILLMENT.
You don’t have to do much of anything just to be happy.
You don’t have to do anything difficult to be happy.
But . . . fighting through difficulty is part of the price you pay for fulfillment.
In A League of Their Own, a movie about a women’s professional baseball team during World War II, the star catcher Dottie Henson (played by Geena Davis) told her manager Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) that she was quitting the team because, “It got too hard.”
The manager said, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it were so easy everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.”
“The hard is what makes it great.”
“For the harder I work, the more I live.”
Why aim for happiness? It’ll just get you temporary pleasure. It won’t take you anywhere.
Follow Ed to the town of FULFILLMENT.
Do something difficult today.
Don’t forget to call Success Hotline at 973.743.4690,
Rob Gilbert
