#Success: Mastering the Basics to a Happy, Healthy, and Wealthy Life

by Carla Schesser

Overview

Are you ready for a happier, healthier, and wealthier life?

An expert in the field of personal development, author Carla Schesser breaks it all down for you. In #Success: Mastering the Basics to a Happy, Healthy, and Wealthy Life, she takes you back to the basics, so you can build a stronger foundation for your future. Once you learn how to identify the necessary fundamentals to success in every walk of life, you’re on your way to a better life. The next step is to learn how to apply the lessons that enable us to achieve the success that we seek. Schesser provides insight into what makes the ultra-successful the way they are, and how we can learn from them to improve our own lives.

Success: Mastering the Basics to a Happy, Healthy, and Wealthy Life explores the impact our habits—good and bad—have on our lives. How much influence does our attitude have on our success? Does effective goal-making really make a difference? What about the incredibly popular “Law of Attraction” theory?

Schesser covers each of these influences in great detail, finally illuminating the so-called “secrets” that the successful have known for ages. Using these principles, you can—once and for all—take control of your own life and become the person that you want to be.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452511856
Publisher:	Balboa Press AU
Publication date:	10/25/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	220
File size:	200 KB

Read an Excerpt

#Success

Mastering the Basics to a Happy, Healthy, and Wealthy Life

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By CARLA SCHESSER

Balboa Press

Copyright © 2013 Carla Schesser
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4525-1184-9

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CHAPTER 1

THE PATH WITH A HEART

1.1.1. The Quiet Voice of Discontent

You've followed all of the rules and you've done everything that everyone has told you to do. You've listened to those whose opinions you value. Maybe you did well in high school, maybe you didn't but you made it to University and decided upon a major. You're nearing the end of your schooling and you feel that you should be excited, but for some reason you're not. You feel that you should be satisfied with where you are, but you're not. You feel that you should be happy with your life and where it's headed, but you're not.

Inside there is this nagging, clawing feeling that something is missing. No matter how hard you try to quiet this feeling through partying, hanging with friends, t.v., drugs and alcohol, it persists. It's uncomfortable. It feels like an overwhelming anxiety could bubble up to the surface at any time and completely consume you in its wrath.

You are not alone. I went through this same thing myself and there are countless others going through it as well. This inescapable feeling is the voice of your inner being. It is the real you, the you which you have never known before. Some call it a soul, some call it God, but it does not matter what you call it, what's important is that it's beckoning you towards becoming the magnificent, powerful being you were meant to be.

Millions of people go through their entire lives moving from distraction to distraction in order to avoid facing their inner being and deepest fears. They drown it out as best they can by filling their life with meaningless, mundane activities and their well-being suffers for it. It's apparent that the majority of people are not living as the human beings they are capable of being, they live lives of "quiet desperation" as Thoreau said, aimlessly following the pack and doing what they're told.

This isn't you. You know that you want more out of life but you're afraid to admit it. You're afraid to admit that the accepted life path isn't for you. I want you to know that it's okay to admit this and that this is the first step towards the most magnificent life experience you could ever have on this planet.

It's time for you to look your fears in the eye and conquer them, one by one. It's okay to be afraid and admit it, but it's not okay to be afraid and hide from your fears. We're all afraid of some things and what makes someone a success in my book is someone who is willing to face those fears head on and work through them little by little. If we simply sit back and maintain the status quo, if we ignore that small voice within us, we allow our fears to keep us trapped inside the small cage that we have always known.

It's as if for our whole lives we've been living inside a small closet without ever knowing the outside world. Of course we're going to be scared whenever we even begin to think about opening up that closet door and stepping outside, but as you and I both know, there isn't anything that scary about the outside world. Our fears are illogical and if we so much as submit to them once, we reinforce their power and continue to remain enslaved by them. We must follow the small voice within us that knows our true path in life regardless of what emotions we may feel; our happiness depends upon it.

So what are you afraid of? What are the chains that bind you that you're rarely aware of? I'll tell you mine:

• I'm afraid of being so different that nobody will like me

• I'm afraid of succeeding and people becoming jealous of me

• I'm afraid of giving it my all and falling flat on my face

• I'm afraid of being rejected by those around me

• I'm afraid of being alone

Whenever you look underneath all of these you can see that they all come down to one basic fear, and that is the fear of not being connected with the people and world around me. We are social beings at our core and the fear of being alone is one of the greatest fears that we will ever have to face. I want you to know that these fears and any other fears you may have are completely valid, but I also want you to know that they may be exactly what is holding you back from living a life you love.

1.1.2. Conformity

You have most likely spent the majority of your life following the crowd and trying your best to fit in. We were all raised to behave like sheep since the day we were born; trained to blindly follow the sheep in front of and around us without questioning where we're going.

There are people that have broken away from the herd and have taken control of their destinies but when we see them they often frighten us. They make us feel uneasy because they remind us of who we could be if summoned the courage to break away from the pack. These rare individuals are the people that have embraced their own uniqueness and are absolutely okay with being who they are regardless of what anyone else may think about them. They are the movers and shakers in the history of humanity; they are the Einstein's, the Edison's, and the Gates'; they are the people that stop and question the commonly accepted and then take off in their own direction of what they feel is best.

I'm going to ask you a few questions and I want you to take the time to really think about them:

• What kind of results do you see the majority of people getting in their lives?

• Are most people truly happy and fulfilled?

• Do they have great relationships?

• Are they enjoying financial abundance?

• Are they doing work they love?

• Are they in incredible shape physically?

If you're honest with yourself, you'll admit that the average person is not enjoying very good results in any area of his or her life. This is because average to poor results are considered the 'norm' for our society and the herd will always embrace the idea of 'normalcy'.

The social norm is to:

1. Go to University and get good grades

2. Get a "secure" job with great benefits

3. Have a family

4. Work forty hours a week until you are sixty five or older

5. Slowly atrophy until the day of your death

That may sound depressing but that's the truth isn't it? Isn't that the exact life plan that's been laid out for you? Doesn't a life that follows that path sound miserable? It certainly does to me.

Why do we follow this life plan and accept it as best way to go? Is there another way to live that doesn't suck? Yes, there really is, but it requires courage and a willingness to break away from the pack and be your own person.

There is a way to live that results in:

• extreme fulfilment with life

• outstanding health

• deep and connected relationships

• financial abundance

• unbelievable levels of happiness

You want to experience these in your life, but before you can you must first realize that following the herd will never get you there.

I want you to realize the stupidity of doing things just because that's what everyone else is doing. You have a brain in your head and you are more than capable of making your own life choices. You have the ability to think for yourself and decide what would be best for you and your life.

Often you don't trust yourself and you allow other's ideas to take priority over your own. Instead of listening to your heart, you listen to your parent's advice and go to University and get a safe job. You settle down, marry, have a few kids, and then slowly wait out your days until the grim reaper comes to take you from this Earth forever.

How do you want to live your life until the day you die? Do you want to barely scrape by and do things that you hate doing? Or would you rather wake up with absolute enthusiasm everyday and go to bed with the biggest smile on your face?

Do you want to work at a meaningless job crunching numbers all day? Or would you rather do something that makes a difference in the world?

From the deepest depths of my heart I want you to know that it's okay to be different and pursue a path that totally excites you. It doesn't matter what that path is and it doesn't matter if it's not 'traditional'; what does matter is doing what you absolutely love every single day. If you pursue your heart's desires with everything you've got everything else in your life will fall into place. This doesn't mean that it will be easy or fast; in fact, it will be much more difficult than going the 'normal' route, but it's so much more satisfying and I can one hundred percent guarantee that.

1.1.3. The Way Out

There is a way out of the herd but you should know up front that it isn't easy and it will require more courage than you've ever exercised before.

The only way out is through a commitment to that small voice within. It's the voice that tells you about all of the magnificent things you can accomplish; it's the voice that speaks up every time you conform; it's the voice that always knows exactly what to do in any given moment; it's the voice that you often want to ignore because listening would result in drastic changes to your lifestyle.

The first step in committing to your inner voice is figuring out what 'success' means to you. You've been taught your entire life that success means lots of money, a huge house, a sweet sports car, a luxurious yacht, and all the fame that you could ever desire. We lust after these ideas without a second thought as if they are the end all be all to life; however, these ideas are not what success is unless this is how you choose to define success. If you do not consciously define what success means to you, you will accept the status quo by default. Bearing that in mind, glance over the questions below; can you see clearly, without a doubt, the things you will strive to achieve?

• So what does the word 'success' mean to you?

• Imagine that you are on your death bed looking back on your life ... how will you know that your life was a good one?

• Does it mean that you helped as many people as possible?

• Does it mean that you earned as much money and collected as many things as possible?

• Does it mean that you did your best and grasped every opportunity that presented itself?

Take some time right now to think seriously about these questions and your answers. There are no right or wrong answers, but make sure that you feel strongly about what you do decide upon. Your answers to these questions will act as a compass from this day forward with which you can make better life decisions.

Earl Nightingale defined success as "the progressive realization of a worthy idea". This is a powerful definition because it shows us that success isn't just a destination, but a journey. This means that as soon as you define what you want in life and begin working towards it you are successful.

The next step in following the small voice within is identifying your life purpose. This is an idea very closely related to success but this focuses on what you feel your purpose is for being here on this planet at this particular time.

• Why are you here right now?

• What do you have to offer to the rest of the world?

• What possible reason could there be for your existence?

Living a life purpose that you decide upon will bring immense fulfilment into your life. For the first time, you will know exactly what to do with your life without having to depend on the opinions of those around you.

There are two fundamental states of being for everything in the Universe; the first is growth, and the second is decay. If you are not growing then by default you are decaying. This reveals to us the importance of ensuring that we are growing throughout our entire lives, for as soon as we stop we immediately begin to die.

Stagnation and complacency are the indicators that you are allowing yourself to decay. As a young adult you are likely learning at a rapid pace and this keeps you in a state of growth. However, it's very common that once individuals get out of university they decide that they are done learning because they have finished school. This is a major mistake and the cause of the state of decay that you see all around you. You see those around you, perhaps your family or older friends, repeat the same routines day after day and you know that you don't want that. You know that you want to continue to develop throughout your entire lifetime because growth is the ultimate joy of life.

Ultimately, if you want to be completely happy in this life experience you must completely embrace the idea of growth. It does not matter where you currently are and it does not matter where you will eventually be; there will always be another plateau to reach or another mountain to climb. It is the climbing of these personal mountains that is the joy of life which will lead you to the much greener pastures.

CHAPTER 2

AN INTRODUCTION TO PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

1.2.1. The Philosophy

So what is personal development? At its essence, personal development is a consistent, sincere effort to better one's self in all areas of life.

The definition is extremely broad because there are so many different options to pursue within personal development as a whole. You could work on developing yourself mentally, spiritually, emotionally, or physically, and the gains you experience in any one of these areas will translate into every other.

My favourite thing about personal development is that there isn't just one correct path, there are options and with options comes freedom.

I used to fall into the trap of thinking that I had to develop in only certain areas that were 'good' or 'noble'. I had the idea in my mind that I should only develop spiritually, because all other areas were physical and therefore somehow less important than spiritual development. So I forced myself to focus on areas where I didn't feel drawn to grow and my growth was therefore much slower than it could have been. Over time however, I found that we should always focus our attention on what attracts us the most, as it is these areas that contain the valuable lessons we need at particular times in our life.

If the idea of advancing yourself financially is what excites you then so be it! That's awesome, go for it and give it all you've got! Just because some people would label money as evil or bad doesn't negate it as a valid pursuit of personal development. You'll find that as you follow your attraction you'll learn a tremendous amount about yourself and the world around you that will make you an overall better person.

The philosophy of personal development really comes down to the idea that we exist here on this planet for the purpose of growth, development, and evolution.

As we discussed earlier, everything in the Universe is either growing or decaying and if you aren't growing then by necessity you are decaying. If we are alive and well then it makes sense that our primary focus should be that of developing ourselves.

It's obvious that when we die we lose everything of a physical nature; no matter how bad we want to we cannot bring our money, possessions, or relationships with us into whatever lies beyond this life. The only possible thing that can persist after physical death is consciousness. Personal development is concerned with the development of consciousness and is therefore the most intelligent focus for our lives.

1.2.2. Why Should I Care?

So why should you care about personal development?

Personal development enhances the world around you and the people around you but it's also a very selfish pursuit (in a good way). There is no better feeling than making a break through in your life that elevates you to new levels of existence.

Ultimately, your satisfaction with life is based upon your growth. If you allow yourself to remain stagnant, life loses its exciting flavour and existence becomes dull and mundane; it is growth that keeps things fresh and new.

You will have to find your own reasons for pursuing personal development as the motivation is different with each person. All I can do is share with you my own experiences, brought about through trial and error.

In my life, I've experienced two distinct periods that can be defined as complacency and growth. I've cycled back and forth between the two for years but I now know that I've reached a tipping point where I can never slide back into complacency. Whenever I am at a stand-still and I'm not pushing myself to get better, I get depressed very quickly. Perhaps this is a good thing and perhaps it's not, but it is what it is. If I don't push forward I get extremely bored and the longer I stay standing still the less joy I experience.

On the flip side, when I am pushing forward and making serious improvements I feel absolutely magnificent. I feel powerful, alive, and joyful; I feel like I'm doing something worthwhile and I'm having fun doing it. It feels as if I'm playing a thrilling game, the game of life, and there's nothing I'd rather do than level up my character and tackle bigger and bigger challenges.

I love seeing the progression from one state of being to another. I love looking back on my life, just a short six months ago and seeing how far I've come. I love the feeling of doing my best to solve problems and tackle challenges to move to new plateaus in life. I love starting out as a beginner and advancing to mastery in particular domains in life.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from #Success by CARLA SCHESSER. Copyright © 2013 Carla Schesser. Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Introduction, vii,
Section 1 The Beginning, 1,
Chapter 1 The Path with a Heart, 3,
Chapter 2 An Introduction to Personal Development, 15,
Section 2 The Middle, 25,
Chapter 3 Your Marvelous Mind, 27,
Chapter 4 Attitude, 45,
Chapter 5 Health First, Wealth Later, 61,
Chapter 6 Goals, 79,
Chapter 7 Habits, 101,
Chapter 8 The Law of Attraction, 121,
Chapter 9 Abundance and Prosperity, 161,
Section 3 The End, 197,
Congratulations, 199,
Thank You!, 205,