Who Will Cry When You Die\?: Life Lessons From The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari pdfdrive com

71.
Stop Condemning
Like the vice of complaining discussed earlier, it is easy to fall into the habit of
condemning others, even those we love most. We criticize the way someone eats
or the manner in which she speaks. We focus on the most minute details and find
fault with the smallest of issues. But what we focus on grows. And if we keep
focusing on a small weakness in someone, it will continue to grow in our minds
until we perceive it to be a big problem in that person.
Would you really want to live in a world where everyone looked, acted and
thought exactly as you do? It would be a pretty boring place. To live a happier,
more peaceful life, begin to see that the richness of our society comes from its
diversity. What makes relationships, communities and countries great are not the
things that we have in common but the differences that make us unique. Rather
than looking for things to criticize in those around you, why not begin to respect
the differences?
Often, we perceive in others the weaknesses we most need to address
within ourselves. Stop blaming and condemning. Accept complete responsibility
for the way things are and resolve to work on changing yourself before seeking
to change others. This is one of the truest measures of a person of strong
character. As Erica Jong said, “Take your life into your own hands and what
happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame.”

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72.
See Your Day as Your Life
“The days come and go like muffled and veiled figures sent from a distant,
friendly party, but they say nothing, and if we do not use the gifts they bring,
they carry them as silently away,” observed Emerson. As you live your days, so
you will live your life. It is easy to get caught up in the trap of thinking that this
day does not matter much given all the days that lie ahead of you. But a great life
is nothing more than a series of great, well-lived days strung together like a
beautiful necklace of pearls. Every day counts and contributes to the quality of
the end result. The past is gone, the future is but a figment, so this day is really
all you can own. Invest it wisely.
Your life is not a dress rehearsal. Lost opportunities rarely come again.
Today, vow to increase your passion for living and multiply the commitment
you will bring to each of the days that will follow this one. Many people think
that it takes months and years to change your life. Respectfully, I disagree. You
change your life the second you make a decision from the depths of your heart to
be a better, more dedicated human being. What takes the months and years are
the efforts you must apply to maintain that decision. And the best life change
decision you will ever make is the one to live every moment of your days to the
fullest. As golf legend Ben Hogan said, “As you walk down the fairway of life,
you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round.”

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