(Friday Filosophy 4/28/23)
Happy Freakin’ Friday!
Welcome to another issue of Friday Filosophy, the weekly postcard where I give you a question, topic, or challenge to consider. This week you may want to think about what it really takes for success – and if you’re willing to pay the price.
By almost anyone’s account, I’m the epitome of the American success story, growing up poor with a single mom, expelled from high school, yet working my way up from a minimum wage dishwasher to becoming wealthy. And while I’ve had my share of “lucky breaks,” you can be assured they were vastly outnumbered by “unlucky calamities.” (Which, if we’re being honest, were mostly self-induced.) But the one through line that pulls it all together has been my tenacity, determination, and willingness to pay the price for success.
At various points in my life I’ve been bullied, ridiculed, ostracized, shunned, hated, sabotaged, molested, doubted, and betrayed. I survived four earthquakes, more than a dozen hurricanes including the eye-wall of Hurricane Andrew, getting shot left for dead, and the LOST finale. Yet I’ve never doubted (okay almost never doubted) in my beliefs that:
- Humans are inherently loving;
- The universe is intrinsically good; and,
- Persistence, self-discipline, and hard work will ultimately prevail.
Like many of you, I sometimes project my failures onto external people and circumstances. But when I set aside my victimhood identity and rise to objective self-awareness – the evidence supports the theory that if you are willing to do the work, pay your dues, and suck it up, you can eventually triumph.
It should be noted that the evidence also suggests that if you want to accomplish something epic – at some point you will be required to walk through Hell to do it. Sorry. It is what it is. But if you’re willing to endure it, what awaits you on the other side is worth it. So if and when you do have to take that walk – strut through like you own the goddamned place!
Power Prosperity Podcast: Had some fun with the new episode. The topic is - Buy More Life!
YouTube: http://ow.ly/17pJ50NRoRc
Apple: http://ow.ly/B06c50NRoRf
Spotify: http://ow.ly/YRET50NRoRe
Anchor: http://ow.ly/yN9B50NRoRb
Hope you have a walking through Hell weekend.
Peace,
- RG
Previous Post: Lose Your Limiting Beliefs
Prosperity TV
Great post Randy.. those skulls look like Apocalypse Now.. ha ha.. I remember on your old site you said if you came thru some brutal stuff you gotta get over it and push thru.. and I told a story about how I had a summer fling with this gal and there was this weeper on the news and I said, ah I got no time for these people who blame everything on their past and she said, just because you came thru it, doesn't mean other people can.. told that story to a good friend of mine who served in Viet Nam whom I had the greatest respect for in terms of putting crap behind him.. and he said, that's true, he had some buddies commit suicide.. so I'm split, have compassion, but come on, let's move forward... don't get stuck in past crap, there's a whole beautiful world out there if you let it in.. cheers David
I've never been shot, but I get your pain on the Lost finale. - I'd put the Game Of Thrones one up there too. : )
Someone said once said that the road to success starts in Hell. I think a lot of that pain can be a great fuel source for powering your forward.