The Name We Respond To

Would you like to know the real secret of life – one that has been proven, time and time again, to bring true personal and professional fulfillment?

Down through the years, there have been many stories and anecdotes about people who searched for the secret of life. The secret of life, according to the well-known psychiatrist, Dr. David Viscott, is that there is no secret. Let’s see if you agree.

The “secret” is hard work, determination, and effective thinking backed up by persistent action, that brings you success in life, not any magic lamp or winning lottery ticket.

Of course, you knew that all along, didn’t you? You also know that the purpose of life is to discover and develop your own unique gifts, whatever they may be, and that the meaning of life comes from sharing your gifts with others.

This sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? The key to all this, the glue that holds it together and allows you to create something truly wonderful, is accountability – or responsibility, if you prefer.

While it is true that many things that have happened to you are not your fault – you didn’t cause them – in every case, you chose to react in your own way. Of course, accepting responsibility for your reactions to events means you need to stop blaming others for your problems, but it also empowers you to change what you want to change and move on.

After all, in the words of the Swahili saying, “It is not what name others call you that matters, but what name you respond to that truly determines who you are.”