Jumpstart Your Dream Life

Lessons from Voltaire on Finding Purpose in Life

By

Few philosophers have made so great an impact on French philosophy as Voltaire. Born in 1694, Francois-Marie Arouet spent his early years in Paris, France. He was educated in the classics by Jesuits at the College Louis-le-Grand.

After finishing school, he wanted to become a writer. His father, though, wanted him to follow in his footsteps and become a lawyer. To appease him, Arouet pretended to pursue law while he wrote.

Arouet became popular amongst his peers for his satire and wit. Unfortunately, these same attributes soon landed him in hot water. After mocking the government, he was imprisoned in the Bastille for nearly a year. When he was released, he decided to adopt the name “Voltaire”.

[Read more…]

Spend Your Money On Experiences, Not Things

By

Picture this: You’ve just finished working your busiest time of the year. For all your efforts, you receive a nice paycheck.

To reward yourself, you look for places to spend your hard-earned money. What would you choose out of these options?

  • A brand new TV or a vacation abroad?
  • A piece of jewelry or a multi-course meal at a restaurant?
  • The latest phone model or a class on learning a skill?

All of these questions point towards how we should spend our money. Should we spend it on material objects that will likely bring enjoyment, or on new experiences that have uncertain outcomes?

When faced with this decision, choose the experience. Here’s why.

[Read more…]

The Only 5 Things You Need In Order to Live a Good Life

By

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” — Confucius

Overload has become the norm.

Every single day, we’re barraged with copious amounts of information. We’re told how we should spend our time, what we should eat, and where we should go. While we search endlessly for the answer, we usually end up where we began: in a bottomless well.

When you add in factors such as the rise of automated technology, increasing choices, and the pressure to keep up, is it any wonder that we feel swallowed up in everything?

[Read more…]

When Positive Thinking Negatively Affects Your Success

By

We’re always told by other people to think positive. The key to success is life is to believe, because once you do, you can achieve your goals. Anything is possible when you rely on the power of positive thinking.

At least, that’s what they say.

But experience shows that that’s not necessarily the case.

A few friends I knew wanted to partner up and start an advertising business. People supported their idea and doled out encouraging advice.

In usual fashion, the partners reveled in the high of embarking on a new venture. They talked excitedly about the possibilities their new business would bring. Together, they spent evenings discussing how to set up the business.

First, they set up a corporation and decided on a tax structure. Then, they looked up a few potential customers and brainstormed what kind of help they could offer. Business was going to be big.

[Read more…]

Are You Into the Coloring Craze?

By

When I was a child, coloring was one of my favorite activities.

I remember sitting at a white kitchen table as gentle rays of light streamed through the windows. In front of me were some scrap paper, a box of pencil crayons, and an illustration.

I would pick up a coloring pencil, test it out on scrap paper, and away I went. The pencil touched the paper at a slight angle as I carefully shaded within the lines. I would periodically put down my pencil, assess my work, and then continue where I had left off. It was like breathing life into something that formerly seemed still and lackluster.

Drawing from scratch? Painting? Sure, I liked those as well. But there were some qualms that came along with those activities. Where was I supposed to begin? What if I messed up? My drawings never seemed perfect, no matter how often I used my eraser and tried again.

But coloring was different. A simple back-and-forth motion of the pencil yielded a vibrant hue on the page. Coloring wasn’t about right or wrong, it simply just was.

Coloring for All Ages

It turns out that you can relive your coloring days again.

[Read more…]