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Fulfillment Quotes

    “If you set yourself a goal and work toward it, you are using clock time.  You are aware of where you want to go, but you honor and give your fullest attention to the step that you are taking at this moment.  If you then become excessively focused on the goal, perhaps because you are seeking happiness, fulfillment, or a more complete sense of self in it, the Now is no longer honored.  It becomes reduced to a mere stepping stone to the future, with no intrinsic value.  Clock time then turns into psychological time.  Your life’s journey is no longer an adventure, just an obsessive need to arrive, to attain, to ‘make it.’  You no longer see or smell the flowers by the wayside either, nor are you aware of the beauty and the miracle of life that unfolds all around you when you are present in the Now.” ~ Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now (Page 58)

      “The reason why some people love to engage in dangerous activities, such as mountain climbing, car racing, and so on, although they may not be aware of it, is that it forces them into the Now—that intensely alive state that is free of time, free of problems, free of thinking, free of the burden of the personality.  Slipping away from the present moment even for a second may mean death.  Unfortunately, they come to depend on a particular activity to be in that state.  But you don’t need to climb the north face of the Eiger.  You can enter that state now.” ~ Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now (Page 51)

        “While there is no guarantee of success in leadership, there is one thing that is certain: leading people is the most challenging and, therefore, the most gratifying undertaking of all human endeavors.” ~ Jocko Willink, Extreme Ownership (Page 287)

          “The elders were all proof that you could live a full and fulfilling life even when the weather turned stormy.  So why worry about the clouds in the forecast?  Live your life, put on a show, take a chance, give thanks for your failures along with your successes—they’re two sides of the same coin.  If we’re living longer, maybe we have an obligation to live better: wiser, kinder, more grateful and forgiving, less vengeful and covetous.  All those things make life better for everyone, but especially the person trying to live by them.  Even, I would add, when we fail in our attempts to get there.” ~ John Leland, Happiness is a Choice You Make (Page 231)

            “So often we measure the day by what we do with it—cure cancer or surf in Maui or meet with our child’s math teacher—and overlook what is truly miraculous, which is the arrival of another day.  Enjoy it or not.  The day doesn’t care, but if you miss it, it won’t be back again.” ~ John Leland, Happiness is a Choice You Make (Page 216)

              “It takes seventy or eighty or ninety years to learn the value of another sunrise or a visit from a surly grandchild—to appreciate how amazing, really amazing, life is.  They only seem paltry because we haven’t lived long enough to see their value, or survived enough losses to know how surmountable most losses are.  Simple gifts can be as rewarding as more elaborate ones, and there’s no rule that a life of daily mah-jongg in a fluorescent-lit community room is less fulfilling than one of high-stakes baccarat in Monte Carlo.” ~ John Leland, Happiness is a Choice You Make (Page 215)

                “The challenge, then, is to find a purpose in life that will sustain you through the latter years.  Kickboxing might not be a great choice, but painting, political activity, time with family, or passing along your skills to the next generation can be a reason for living at any age.  Practice law, feed the hungry, teach piano, harass your congressman, tell your story.  It’s your purpose in life: make it a passion, not a hobby.” ~ John Leland, Happiness is a Choice You Make (Page 206)

                  “Fulfillment need not be what’s just around the corner.  In the end, wisdom lies in finding it in the imperfect now.” ~ John Leland, Happiness is a Choice You Make (Page 178)

                    “If you want close, supportive relationships with friends and family members when you’re eighty-five, trace a series of moves leading up to that, all the way back to the present time.  Pleasant, right?  That’s the universe telling you to spend more time with people you care about.  If you want a life of purpose, don’t you think you’d better start finding your purpose now?  You may not get there by working more hours, coming home late, putting off time with your friends and family.  Maybe you want a different job, a long talk with your son, a move to a different part of the country.  Maybe the answer is ending a marriage in which you’re no longer helping each other grow.  I never said this was going to be easy.” ~ John Leland, Happiness is a Choice You Make (Pages 16-17)

                      “You need to consider the future and think, ‘What might my life look like if I were caring for myself properly?  What career would challenge me and render me productive and helpful, so that I could shoulder my share of the load, and enjoy the consequences?  What should I be doing, when I have some freedom, to improve my health, expand my knowledge, and strengthen my body?’  You need to know where you are, so you can start to chart your course.  You need to know who you are, so that you understand your armament and bolster yourself in respect to your limitations.  You need to know where you are going, so that you can limit the extent of chaos in your life, restructure order, and bring the divine force of Hope to bear on the world.” ~ Jordan Peterson, via 12 Rules for Life (Pages 62-63)

                        “The best rules do not ultimately restrict us but instead facilitate our goals and make for fuller, freer lives.” ~ Norman Doidge, via 12 Rules for Life (Page viii)

                        12 Rules for Life [Book]

                          12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson

                          By: Jordan B. Peterson

                          From this Book: 72 Quotes

                          Book Overview:  What does everyone in the modern world need to know? Renowned psychologist Jordan B. Peterson’s answer to this most difficult of questions uniquely combines the hard-won truths of ancient tradition with the stunning revelations of cutting-edge scientific research.  Humorous, surprising and informative, Dr. Peterson tells us why skateboarding boys and girls must be left alone, what terrible fate awaits those who criticize too easily, and why you should always pet a cat when you meet one on the street. Dr. Peterson journeys broadly, discussing discipline, freedom, adventure and responsibility, distilling the world’s wisdom into 12 practical and profound rules for life. 12 Rules for Life shatters the modern commonplaces of science, faith and human nature, while transforming and ennobling the mind and spirit of its readers.

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                          Post(s) Inspired by this Book:

                            “Life is one long motherf*cking imaginary game that has no scoreboard, no referee, and isn’t over until we’re dead and buried.  And all I’d ever wanted from it was to become successful in my own eyes.  That didn’t mean wealth or celebrity, a garage full of hot cars, or a harem of beautiful women trailing after me.  It meant becoming the hardest motherf*cker who ever lived.  Sure, I stacked up some failures along the way, but in my mind the record proved that I was close.  Only the game wasn’t over, and being hard came with the requirement to drain every drop of ability from my mind, body, and soul before the whistle blew.  I would remain in constant pursuit.  I wouldn’t leave anything on the table.  I wanted to earn my final resting place.” ~ David Goggins, Can’t Hurt Me

                              “Some criticize my level of passion, but I’m not down with the prevailing mentalities that tend to dominate American society these days; the ones that tell us to go with the flow or invite us to learn how to get more with less effort.  F*ck that shortcut bullsh*t.  The reason I embrace my own obsessions and demand and desire more of myself is because I’ve learned that it’s only when I push beyond pain and suffering, past my perceived limitations, that I’m capable of accomplishing more, physically and mentally—in endurance races but also in life as a whole.  And I believe the same is true for you.” ~ David Goggins, Can’t Hurt Me