The Mystery of Life by Jim Stovall
Photo by Cristian Escobar on Unsplash
Control is an illusion. We seek to plan, organize, and manage every area of our lives. While I am a big advocate of financial plans, exercise and health habits, as well as managing the various areas of risk, life is often chaotic and unpredictable. The poet Robert Frost said, “The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected.”
In psychological studies of happiness and satisfaction, researchers found that people with predictable and mundane lives were unhappy, but, ironically, people with some of the most adventurous and unpredictable lives were also unhappy. As in most things, the researchers found that people with a moderate amount of adventure combined with periods of stability were found to be the happiest and most fulfilled.
The only things we can control are our efforts and our attitudes. We cannot control what happens to us, but we can always determine what we are going to do about it. Recently, I’ve undertaken a study of stoicism, and I’m finding that the philosophy has a lot of merit. Stoics are people who endeavor to face life without emotional swings. Mr. Spock of Star Trek-fame comes to mind. Stoics understand that the best of times are fleeting and the worst of times are often filled with great opportunity.
Success is more about making the whole world a better place than trying to improve our own world.
There’s an element of faith in finding the silver lining within every raincloud. I had the privilege of interviewing the legendary football coach Lou Holtz. He expressed his faith and optimism by saying, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.”
Long-time readers of these columns know that I believe we need only three things to be happy: something to do, someone to love, and something to look forward to. We can find all of these elements in the best of times as well as in the worst of times. Success is more about making the whole world a better place than trying to improve our own world. Happiness and joy are much more of a decision than a condition of life. We must enjoy the good times, remain optimistic during the bad times, and celebrate it all.
As you go through your day today, accept every mystery of life as a grand adventure.
Today’s the day!
Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books, including The Gift of Giving, co-authored with Don Green, executive director and CEO of the Napoleon Hill Foundation. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. Follow him on Twitter (@stovallauthor) or Facebook (@jimstovallauthor).