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Determination
Everything in life begins with a decision. Whether it is to lose weight, go back to school or scale Mt. Everest, your start with a decision. However, it doesn’t end there.
For instance, if five birds are sitting on a wire and one of them decides to fly away, how many are still left? The answer is all five. One bird’s “decision” to fly away did not remove it from the wire.
In fact, we all know people just like this bird. These people continually “decide” (usually on New Year’s Eve) to become more involved in church, lose weight, quit smoking, etc. Yet they do nothing to turn their decisions into action.
Moving beyond your decisions requires determination. Once we become determined to create a certain reality, we find ourselves literally drawn towards its achievement. As W. Clement Stone said, “Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement.”
Attitude
The second DASH principle is developing the proper mental attitude. The person who thinks she can finish college invariably earns a college degree, sometimes several degrees. On the other hand, the person who thinks that he’s too stupid or too lazy to earn a college degree doesn’t finish, or even start in some cases.
In DASH, I spend several chapters reminding the reader of his or her incredible potential and explaining that the difference between winners and losers does not boil down to aptitude but rather attitude.
Success
The third DASH principle is to employ the success traits of the winners in life. All successful people, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor, have developed certain skills and qualities. Of course, each person has his own idea of what “success” entails.
For some people, success is a big home, a fancy car and lots of money. For others, success is a happy home life. And for still others, success is starting a business or a charitable foundation.
However, despite the way we personally characterize success, I believe that we are all seeking the success described by Robert Louis Stevenson:
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“The man is a success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who leaves the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem or a rescued soul; who never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty or failed to express it; who looked for the best in others and gave the best he had.” |
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Happiness
The fourth DASH principle is happiness. Sadly, many people in our society confuse success with happiness. They think that once they become successful, they will necessarily be happy. In DASH, I dispel this myth
If success was enough to ensure happiness, then Elvis Presley might still be alive today. This man was a “winner” in almost every category you can imagine. He was good looking, extremely talented, rich, famous and adored by millions. However, he wasn’t happy. As a result, he died trying to use drugs as an “escape” from his reality. The same thing could be said for Marilyn Monroe, Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin, John Belushi, Chris Farley, River Phoenix and Kurt Cobain.
Therefore, in DASH, I teach people how to be happy so that they maintain success … and not the other way around. In doing so, I attack the true joy killers of life – worry, stress and anger – and show the reader how to develop an attitude of gratitude, live in the moment and enjoy greater physical and mental health.
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