| The 7 Principles of Rational Living | | | | obstacles holding you back in your life. Once you |
| Do you ever feel like you're being lied to? I feel | | | | eliminate those obstacles, you'll be able to press |
| that way most of the time. I don't watch the | | | | forward and achieve what you really want. |
| news anymore for this reason. | | | | One of the most important principles I learned |
| There's an old expression in Journalism that says, | | | | from this book, or at least it was reinforced by |
| "If it leads, it's bleeds." I feel that the more I | | | | this book, is that you can't change the world. In |
| watch the news, the more negative I become, | | | | order to change the world, you have to change |
| but it's not just the news that does this to me, | | | | other people, or at least most people think you |
| it's also being surrounded by negative people. | | | | have to change other people. |
| What's unfortunate is that I think most of us just | | | | If you're one of these people who thinks that you |
| aren't strong enough to resist the negativity in our | | | | need to change the world in order to be happy or |
| lives, especially the negativity that comes from | | | | have a purpose, then take control of what you |
| other people. If you're not, then you really want | | | | can and change yourself. All of us have the ability |
| to read this book, "Getting What You Want: The | | | | to improve, and all of us need to improve. |
| 7 Principles of Rational Living," by Robert J. Ringer. | | | | Regardless of what you are looking for in life, this |
| In this book, Ringer outlines seven different | | | | book will help you achieve it. Not only does it tell |
| principles that he believes you have to live by in | | | | you what you need to be doing, it tells you how |
| order to not only get what you want out of life | | | | to do it, and why you should be doing it in the |
| but to find happiness too. These principles are: | | | | first place. |
| 1. Base your actions on truth | | | | I've read plenty of self help books. I am always |
| 2. Focus on value, not entitlements | | | | working myself because I believe that we are |
| 3. Make choices with civility, dignity, honesty, and | | | | always works in progress. What this book helped |
| humility | | | | me finally do was shed the burdens of the past |
| 4. Avoid those who drain your personal resources | | | | and not feel guilty for being happy and wanting to |
| 5. Rid yourself of major encumbrances | | | | live my dreams. |
| 6. Develop the self-discipline to act on intellect, not | | | | Ultimately, what I learned, is that I am only |
| impulse | | | | responsible for me. I can only change me, and in |
| 7. Learn from bad breaks and move on | | | | changing me, that not only makes the world a |
| Some people will find this book to be offensive. | | | | better place, but it leads me to what I want in |
| After all, it's about recognizing where you are | | | | life, as well as my ultimate happiness. When you |
| deluding yourself in your life, owning up to what | | | | stop reacting to life, and start acting on life in a |
| you are doing, then taking steps to change. The | | | | rational way, you will achieve what you really |
| value is that if you do that, you'll eliminate the | | | | want. |