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Greek word commonly translated as happiness or welfare. In Aristotle’s works, eudaimonia was (based on older Greek tradition) used as the term for the highest human good, and so it is the aim of practical philosophy, including ethics and political philosophy, to consider (and also experience) what it really is, and how it can be achieved.

Seven groupings of values and strengths that have been universally loved across cultures, religions and history:

•             Integrity

•             Generosity

•             Courage

•             Humility

•             Compassion

•             Loyalty

•             Perseverance

Identify your strengths and virtues. At what do you shine? A literature review of all major religions and philosophies of the last 3,000 years reveals the same seven major categories of 24 virtues (from Seligman, Authentic Happiness, 2002):

I. Wisdom and Knowledge                                                         

1. Curiosity/Interest in the World
2. Love of Learning
3. Judgment/Critical Thinking/Open-Mindedness
4. Ingenuity/Originality/Practical Intelligence/Street Smarts
5. Social Intelligence/Personal Intelligence/Emotional Intelligence
6. Perspective

II. Justice

• Citizenship/Duty/Teamwork/Loyalty
•  Fairness and Equity
•  Leadership

III. Courage

1.  Valor and Bravery
2.  Perseverance/Industry/Diligence
3.  Integrity/Genuineness/Honesty

IV. Temperance

1.  Self-Control
2.  Prudence/Discretion/Caution
3.  Humility and Modesty

VI. Love and Humanity

1.  Kindness and Generosity
2.  Loving and Allowing Oneself to Be Loved

VII. Spirituality and Transcendence

1.  Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence
2.  Gratitude
3.  Hope/Optimism/Future-Mindedness
4.  Spirituality/Sense of Purpose/Faith/Religiousness
5.  Forgiveness and Mercy
6.  Playfulness and Humor
7.  Zest/Passion/Enthusiasm

Once you identify what truly matters to you, look at how you express these strengths and virtues in your daily life. Prioritize your values, distinguishing the top three to five that are most important to you today

The psychologist C. D. Ryff highlighted the distinction between eudaimonia wellbeing, which she identified as psychological well-being and pleasure. Building on Aristotelian ideals of belonging and benefiting others, flourishing, thriving and exercising excellence, she conceptualized eudaimonia as a six-factor structure :

1. Autonomy

2. Personal growth

3. Self-acceptance

4. Purpose in life

5. Environmental mastery

6. Positive relations with others.

Three paths to happy lives

Three paths to happy lives.

The core thesis in Authentic Happiness  by Martin E. P. Seligman 2002 is that there are three very different routes to happiness. First the Pleasant Life, consisting in having as many pleasures as possible and having the skills to amplify the pleasures. This is, of course, the only true kind of happiness on the Hollywood view. Second, the Good Life, which consists in knowing what your signature strengths are, and then recrafting your work, love, friendship, leisure and parenting to use those strengths to have more flow in life. Third, the Meaningful Life, which consists of using your signature strengths in the service of something that you believe is larger than you are.

Knowing that we need to work on our strengths is a very important part of success but, do you know where that strength originates?

We are not created with all the strengths for success. We are conditioned by challenges we have in our life and we inherited some attitudes from our family and friends.

Here is the martial arts metaphor: In the movie Dragon : The Bruce Lee Story, Bruce’s Sifu (Teacher) Nip Man told Bruce that he must conquer his demons or he would pass them on down to his children.

You will gain strength through facing your own demons. Your demons are the fears we have that we must face and with the warrior attitude defeat, conquer then move above and beyond with renewed strength and confidence.

I remember when I was in school if I had to stand up and give an oral report or take a failing grade I would take the bad grade.

 I faced that Demon later in my life and joined Toastmasters International and started to love being in front of a group of people and sharing the things that can inspire and motivate them to move toward their own success.

Think about of all the areas in your life that you gain strength from. Think about the challenges that made you stronger. What are some of the Demons you had to face?

Better question……What are some of the Demons you need to face, defeat, conquer and move beyond today?

Think about the challenges you have accepted that at the start you didn’t think you could conquer, but as you faced them you grew from it and now you are above and beyond it.

Why should we know where we gain strength from? Because, once you know this you can pay more attention to that area of your life and focus on building that strength.

When you find people, places and things that inspire or motivate you to go for your greatness and to work toward dreams that are hoped for….. you gather strength.

Conquering Your Demons For Success.

Knowing that we need to work on our strengths is a very important part of success but, do you know where that strength originates?

We are not created with all the strengths for success. We are conditioned by challenges we have in our life and we inherited some attitudes from our family and friends.

Here is the martial arts metaphor: In the movie Dragon : The Bruce Lee Story, Bruce’s Sifu (Teacher) Nip Man told Bruce that he must conquer his demons or he would pass them on down to his children.

You will gain strength through facing your own demons. Your demons are the fears we have that we must face and with the warrior attitude defeat, conquer then move above and beyond with renewed strength and confidence.

I remember when I was in school if I had to stand up and give an oral report or take a failing grade I would take the bad grade.

 I faced that Demon later in my life and joined Toastmasters International and started to love being in front of a group of people and sharing the things that can inspire and motivate them to move toward their own success.

Think about of all the areas in your life that you gain strength from. Think about the challenges that made you stronger. What are some of the Demons you had to face?

Better question……What are some of the Demons you need to face, defeat, conquer and move beyond today?

Think about the challenges you have accepted that at the start you didn’t think you could conquer, but as you faced them you grew from it and now you are above and beyond it.

Why should we know where we gain strength from? Because, once you know this you can pay more attention to that area of your life and focus on building that strength.

When you find people, places and things that inspire or motivate you to go for your greatness and to work toward dreams that are hoped for….. you gather strength.

Navy SEAL Inspired Baseline Workout

by Jason Earls

Navy SEALS are the most elite branch of American Special Forces, and most military experts consider their training to be the most difficult to endure in the entire world. A SEAL candidate (“SEAL” stands for Sea, Air, and Land, all elements in which a Navy SEAL operates) must survive BUD/S training, which stands for “Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL” training. BUD/S lasts seven long grueling months and you may be surprised to learn that during that time there are no actual weights or weight-lifting involved. The majority of BUD/S training involves only body weight exercises (calisthenics) such as: pullups, pushups, situps, dips, running, air squats, lunges, etc., (although logs and boats are used regularly, and the boats are usually loaded down with sand, or an instructor, water, or all three). Very few individuals actually complete SEAL training since the Naval Special Warfare Command is looking for a select group of elite men who are highly-motivated and would rather die than quit. Due to the rigorous physical conditioning, the men who pass SEAL training are some of the most physically fit specimens on the planet. Hence, wouldn’t it make sense that if you wanted to get in shape, you could simply adopt some of the training patterns used at BUD/S, perhaps even pretend that you will soon attempt Navy SEAL training yourself, and by default wouldn’t you get in the best shape of your life? Of course you would, so let’s get started.

(Note: the author of this article is NOT a Navy SEAL and has never served in any branch of the military.)

To even enter BUD/S training, a candidate must be in extremely good physical shape just to walk in the door. After studying various Navy SEAL documentaries, SEAL web sites with workout programs listed, plus youtube videos made by legitimate SEALs, the following baseline was discovered which provides a “ground” level of fitness that a person should possess if they want to do well at BUD/S. Here is the baseline:

1. 100 excellent pushups.
2. 15 good dead-hang pullups.
3. 100 strict situps.
4. A four-mile run completed in under 30 minutes.

The four “benchmarks” given above are what one Navy SEAL listed as his baseline level of fitness before entering BUD/S training, and he said that he did extremely well and consistently remained in the top performance percentages of his entire class, and eventually passed to have a 20-year career in the Navy SEAL teams.

So if we take these four basic exercises: running, pushups, pullups, and situps, and construct workouts around them, always keeping in mind the baseline level of fitness above, surely we would get close to fulfilling our maximum potential for physical fitness. Or course it will take loads of will-power and self-motivation to continue training day after day toward this goal, but it’s already assumed you are a highly-motivated, fire-breathing, combat-focused individual since you are reading this article in the first place.

Here is an example of what might be considered an “intermediate” level workout constructed around our four basic exercises:

One circuit:

1. Run a half mile without stopping.
2. One set of 20-30 pushups.
3. One set of 3-8 pullups.
4. One set of 30-40 situps.

Repeat this circuit 2 to 5 times.

Note that we are doing pullups, which are performed with your palms facing away from your body, not chin-ups in which your palms are facing toward your body. (Chin-ups are easier than pullups and thus chin-ups are never performed at BUD/S!)

Many different workouts can be constructed around the four basic exercises given above, limited only by your imagination. But you should always try to keep the original Navy SEAL baseline in mind and aim for those numbers. Giving yourself a “PT test” once every month or two is also a good idea, just to see how you are progressing. As soon as you attain the amount of reps and time given in the original baseline (or even get pretty close), it’s guaranteed you will be in extremely good physical condition!

Another primary thing most Navy Seals agree on is that you will have to be an excellent runner to do well in BUD/S training. Navy SEAL candidates literally run everywhere they go, covering numerous miles per day, which is great thing to keep in mind if you are trying to get in good shape, since the more running you do the less body fat you will have.

Once you have established a good level of fitness by training with the four basic exercises for, say, 2 to 5 months, you could try an advanced workout such as: “cumulative total in one day of all exercises”:

1. One maximum set of pullups.
2. One maximum set of pushups.
3. One maximum set of situps.
4. A maximum effort run for mileage.

Then you would write down your reps and mileage after this circuit, then spend the rest of the day (working on-and-off with as much, or as little, rest between circuits as you wanted), repeating the circuit again and again and recording your results, attempting to accumulate as many reps in each exercise, plus as many miles as possible. After your last circuit of the day you would total up and record whatever you were able to accomplish. Keep in mind that a Navy SEAL would be able to do roughly: 150 pullups, 400 pushups, 400 situps, and run 15 miles (plus swim about 6 miles) all in the course of one day.

Hooyah and good luck reaching your fitness goals!

    -end-

From 2010

Flip The Switch For Success.
Some of you may or may not know that my wife owned a commercial cleaning service for years before she got sick and had to give it up. I did keep one account because of the ROI (Return On Investment) and the investment was my time. The account is a big church that is near my home and I can knock it out in no time and the account pays very well, all good reasons to keep it. Last Saturday night my wife was having a good day and wanted to go with me and help with the church. We left out about 7:15 pm and pulled into the church driveway around 7:20 pm.

The sun had gone down and it was a misty and cool fall night. As I pulled into the driveway I noticed a car slowly driving around the church and then it drives away. As usual I drive around the building and pull up on the right side of the building and under a big shelter that is attached to the building. I park where the entrance to the building is on my wife’s side of the vehicle. She gets out and unlocks the building door. The door is a big steel door with reinforced glass in the top half of the door and it has an automatic lock on it as soon as you shut the door. She was standing inside the building holding the door open a bit waiting on me. “I’m normally the one waiting.” I’m getting my cell phone out of the seat as I hear a car driving up behind me. The car is the same car we saw before and it goes around the side of me then pulls in front of me at a right angle. Now I’m pinned in on three sides and my wife is about 10 feet away on the
other side of the vehicle.

This is a situation that I don’t like. Flip The Switch. Because of my training I quickly assessed the “what ifs” and prepared my mind to take action. The “what ifs” are all the scenarios that could possibly happen. I did this for fun when I was younger, but now I’ve made it a habit. I feel like “Jason Bourne” at times. I make a game of it with my wife at times when we’re out to dinner or shopping. As this car pulled up and around in front of me I was standing on the driver’s side of my vehicle with the door opened. I noticed the car was a mid-size and it was black. The windows had some tint, but the way the street lights hit them I could see the silhouettes of 4 people.

They had also parked in the shadows of the building so I couldn’t get a quick look at any of them before they exited the car. I looked over at my wife and she knew that I didn’t like this situation and she also knew that if these guys attacked me to pull the door closed (self locking) and call 911. Let them think you’re strong when you’re weak and at times weak when you’re strong. Two guys jumped from the car very fast and walked my way. I reached inside the car and picked up my cell phone and just kept my hand inside the car as if I had something I didn’t want them
to see, like a hand gun. “If they thought I had a hand gun…fine.” As I completely stood up and held my hand inside the car, they stopped in their tracks. They were just at the front of my vehicle. One guy was a bit taller than 6 ft. at about 198 lbs. dark hair with a long leather coat. The second guy that jumped out was about 5 ft. 7 in. with a dew
rag and reddish hair. I knew right away these guys were not there for choir practice.

I was already looking for targets that I could strike that would do the most damage in the quickest amount of time. We train to target eyes, throat and groin as primary targets. I already knew the direction I wanted to lead them so I would have the advantage. I was looking for the most successful route that I could go if I had to engage. As I stood there face to face with both guys I looked the big guy directly in the eyes. We didn’t say anything for the longest time. I said; How you doing? They stood and looked at me some more for a few seconds, almost like they were trying to find some words to speak. The big guy started to ask some questions about the church and when would the Pastor be in and some questions that seemed like rambling. I told him I couldn’t help him and they stood there for a few seconds without saying a word, it felt like minutes. They turned and got back in their car without taking their eyes off me and I never moved, still with my arm inside the car. They drove off at the speed of a snail. I stayed in that position until they pulled out onto the highway.

The whole event lasted about 2 minutes. That may not seem like much time, but I’ve fought in the ring with 2 minute rounds that seem to go on for an hour. Your life can change within a flash. A flash of violence can be life altering or life ending. This scene could have had a very bad ending. My wife in times past would go to that building by herself. What if she was alone that night? What if I had been away from my vehicle? What does this have to do with being successful or personal development?

I thought you’d never ask!
1 – When you need to be successful in any situation, you must train yourself to take action!
Most people will never take the kind of action I’m talking about. If your life depended on it you
would “flip the switch” and go for it. If you plan to start a business, call sales leads or just work on your career you will need to “flip the switch” and get moving.
I teach street self-defense and it looks and is violent at times. I tell women in my class “you
must have the ability to flip that switch and commit to doing as much harm as you can as quick
as you can.” Do not leave it to chance. Just as in business you have to commit and never leave
success to chance.
2- Always learn and practice what you learn. In successful martial arts you have to fight and
spar to test your skills. In business you have to test your skills and learn from your failures.
When you know what you can do and what your strengths are you are better prepared to act
on your plan of success.
3- Learn to make successful judgment calls through practice. In the martial arts we need to
practice over and over to get our distance and timing down. We learn to make the correct
judgment and that saves us from getting hit.
A successful business must also practice through assessment and judgment to determine the
success of that business.
4- Study, Practice, Assess Then “Flip That Switch” For Success!
To Your Success!
Lynn Lane

Navy Seals ~ Models For Success.

American captain Richard Phillips was taken hostage then freed from Somali pirates after they were persuaded by a Navy Seal.

Well, only one was persuaded, the others were killed by the Seal Team Snipers.

Special Ops are a great group to model success by. They have things in place that once set in motion have a very high percentage rate of success.

You can use this model in business, your career or day to day living.

Let’s look at it.

1 They have an objective. They know what the mission is before they start.

2 They work as a team and back each other up.

3 They sharpen their skills daily. (Stephen Covey – they sharpen the saw.)

4 They always have a contingency plan. Expect the unexpected.

5 They risk.

6 They commit.

7 They take action.

8 They never give up until the mission is complete.

9 They serve others. And aren’t we lucky.

Then after they reach the goal or complete the mission they go back and work on 2. 3. & 9.

This is only a broad scope, but you can see why they are successful at what they do.

I almost forgot one very important step.

*They gather as much information (intelligence) as possible before the mission starts and as the mission continues. This helps them adjust their approach if needed.

The Language of the Body
Never judge a book by its cover. This is a well-known expression that is spoken about with reference to
first impressions and external appearance. On almost every occasion, it is a true maxim. There is only
one exception to this general rule. When it comes to safety and survival on the street, you must rely on
your first impressions.
Edward Wilson (1975) thought of humans as genetic machines whose primary function is that of
surviving. He believed that our innately programmed responses are selfish and self-serving. But what
has happened in modern times? Our instincts have become dulled by comfort and lulled into a false
sense of security. Armed with mobiles and encased in headphones, we often forget that predators are
out there watching and waiting.
Trusting in your instincts means combining the powers from Medium and Psych. In the popular
tv shows, the female lead of Medium has extrasensory perception (ESP), while the male character in
Psych uses impressive observational abilities to ferret out the truth. When you go out in the street, you
must learn to develop a gut feel for danger merged with keen attentional abilities in order to detect
threats.
First, you have to ask the questions: what do I consciously or unconsciously sense? Do I feel
uncomfortable? Do I have goose bumps? Are the hairs on my skin standing up? Second, survey the
surroundings. Do you see, hear or smell anything out of the ordinary? Are there elements that should
not be there? Are there unknown people lurking around? What are your first impressions about them?
The answers may very well spell the difference between being safe versus being attacked. Do not take
chances. The minute something feels or looks hinky, do not attempt to be Steven Seagal or Jackie Chan.
Avoid, escape or run if you can. More importantly, learn to read the hidden meaning in the body
language of the people loitering about.

Learn all you can about Body Language it will serve you well.

When you have a focused mind, when you know how to analyze a situation and determine the proper strategies, and you can do this better and faster than your opponent, then you have a decided advantage every time. It certainly doesn’t guarantee victory, as physical strength, agility, skill, and the weapons that one possesses do make a difference. But without the proper mindset, without understanding the psychology of what makes a great warrior, then you begin any battle or fight at a clear and decided disadvantage.

There are many different aspects, or facets, to the psychology of the covert street warrior and when you understand each of them, when you know how to use them to your advantage, and then you step out into the wild world with an advantage. These aspects include Fight or Flight, Awareness, Critical Decision Making, Mental Toughness, and Primal Actions. Your body language is also an important ingredient in becoming a strong and effective street fighter.

One summer day in London, England, a man stepped out of his apartment–and into a riot.

The man was Mansoor Siddique, a native Londoner who ran an online business and didn’t pay much attention to news. His two year old son was acting up at home, so he decided they both needed some fresh air and a walk in the nearest business district. But this was August 8, 2011, at the height of some of the worst rioting London has seen in decades. As Siddique stepped onto the street, he saw rioters looting a nearby shop. He described the experience this way [link to http://www.mansoorsiddique.com/life/london-riots-and-tottenham-shooting/]: “I almost [felt] like I went to sleep and woke up in a zombie flick!”

In moments, he and his son became targets of the looters: a few approached, expressing interest in Siddique’s watch. When these would-be muggers got distracted, however, Siddique picked up his son and ran. He eventually sheltered behind a dumpster, his son asking all the while why his father wouldn’t let him walk.

What makes a riot? Anger or fear, plus a lot of people gathered together in a small area. As global economic challenges mount, and society finds it more and more difficult to cope with them, riots–and especially riots in big cities–are likely to become more frequent. In 2007-8, a spike in food prices led to riots in Bangladesh, Egypt, and many other countries. In 2011, riots over economic policy rocked Athens, the capital of Greece. And as political differences provoke mass demonstrations like Occupy Wall Street, the more likely open–and violent–confrontations with law enforcement become, even in the United States.

So what would you do if you stepped out of your home, or into the streets of a city you were visiting, and found yourself in the middle of a riot? Here’s a short guide to surviving a riot and the immediate aftermath.

1. Be aware. The man who stepped out into the London riots lived there, and he wasn’t aware of what was going on. You can’t always predict a riot in advance. But the best way to survive a riot is to avoid it. Keep out of places where you know there’s going to be a political demonstration. Don’t travel to countries experiencing civil unrest. If you find yourself in the middle of some sort of trouble, leave the scene–especially if you’re starting to see any low-level confrontations with the authorities.

2. Be prepared. If you can’t avoid a danger zone, be ready for anything. If you’re visiting a foreign country, dress like a local (but be careful not to dress like a local policeman or dissident-type). If you live or work in an area where a riot seems possible, prepare a bag of supplies–food, water, clothing, toiletries–so that you can stay put for as long as a few days. If the situation is tense, and you get the sense that things may boil over soon, wear clothes that protect you from tear gas and other crowd-control weapons whenever you go out.

3. Take stock. Riots evolve, and you should tailor you approach to where you are in relation to what’s going on–and to the point during the riot you’ve arrived on the scene. Think of a riot like a battle: there’s a moving line of conflict where rioters confront the police, or engage in looting and destruction. There’s also generally an area behind the lines, where there’s far less activity, and far more opportunities for you to find safety. Even if the riots go on for days, you’re likely to be “behind the lines” for most of that time.

4. If you’re in the front lines, get out. Let’s say you’re leaving a sporting event or a concert, and the crowd’s getting rowdy. So–get out of the crowd. Make your way to the sides and look for an escape route–a crossroads, a mall, anything that offers an exit. Until you find one, keep a barrier between you and the mob, something like a wall or even a set of steps or a row of columns. If there’s a police line, don’t regard that as a way out. The police may regard your approach as a threat and take action. Finally, as you move to the sides be sure to go with the flow. Moving against the crowd invites conflict and raises the risk you’ll stumble and possibly get trampled.

5. If you’re in a car on the front lines, you can try driving through the crowd, as slowly and as courteously as possible. If the crowd gets rowdy or decides to regard you as a provocation or a threat, be prepared to abandon your vehicle. If you can see violence through your windshield, that’s also a sign to get out of the car. Your life is much more important than your property.

6. Don’t be a hero. This applies whether you’re in the front lines or behind them. Jumping in to stop a fight or preach at looters just makes you a target to a mob already prone to violence. And if the police do show up, they may not be able to tell you’re one of the good guys–making you a potential target for both sides.

7. Get inside. If you’re behind the lines, this is your best option. Our London businessman, Mansoor Siddique, fled with his son to a friend’s house after the immediate danger had passed. After waiting a while, he returned home. Like him, find somewhere safe to shelter. Again, if you live or work in an area where a riot seems possible, have a supply bag ready so you can hunker down until law enforcement regains control.

Riots are frightening things. But if you keep your head, you can make it out with a minimum of risk. And if you prepare beforehand, you’ll find avoiding risk much easier than you might think..

The mind is arguably the most powerful tool that we have in
our arsenal. Forget about all of the training, the weapons;
forget about location and defensive postures. If the mind is not
focused and isn’t being used in the proper manner nearly every
time, it won’t matter what tools you have, or the skills you
possess, when you’re a Street Warrior. One of the greatest
coaches in football history, Vince Lombardi, believed that the
game wasn’t won on the field. He believed that the battle was
won before the players even stepped foot onto the field.

A fight can be lost before you even step into the ring, or in the
world of the street warrior, before you meet your opponent. If
you are not focused, if you don’t have some kind of plan, if you
don’t know what your limitations are, whether they have to do
with your skills, weapons, or the space around you, as well as
any obstacles or objects that could be used to your advantage,
then you are less likely to win. Sports teams, military personnel,
police officers, firefighters, and so many other individuals train
using real world scenarios so that they aren’t surprised when it
comes time to use all of that training. If you want the best
opportunities to win in a battle, then it’s important to begin to
think like a true street warrior; it’s time to begin to think like a
street warrior.

It’s time to prepare for the battle, even if you won’t be heading into one anytime soon.