A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

“Not very long,” answered the Mexican.

“But then, why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.
The American asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life.”

How is authentic happiness different from synthetic happiness?

Ten years of scientific findings from some of the world’s most prestigious institutions have shown that lasting fulfillment and sustainable happiness cannot be synthesized from the material or the physical world. That is, success in any respect – whether it is financial, professional, romantic, social, physical, or otherwise – does not lead to a happy life.

Successful life circumstances, by and large, will not guarantee that you live happily ever after. In other words, there are no purely “happy circumstances” in this life – no circumstances that serve as a one-stop-shop for creating a happy life.

This title should give you pause.  Should it not be something like “How to Make Your Dreams Come True”? or “See Your Dreams Fulfilled”?  But then, how often do you see such titles?  And does such thinking really ‘work’?

Some might disagree, those who are always reading self-help books yet never seem to help themselves. Meanwhile, it is the above that occurs most often, the aspiring individual who just gives up.

As a child I wanted to be many things; I wanted to be a minister, novelist, as well as a CEO of my own book company, an actor, musician, baseball pitcher, I wanted to draw and paint, and more than anything, I wanted to be a writer.  I had so many dreams I couldn’t keep track of them.

If you would like to make your journey to the Zone of Genius smooth and rapid, please take a moment now to answer four questions. Start with this fundamental one:

Am I willing to increase the amount of time every day that I feel good inside?

When I use the phrase “feel good,” I’m talking about a natural, inner sense of well-being that’s not dependent on outside factors such as what you’ve eaten or what you might be doing. It’s important to begin with a willingness to feel good inside, because there’s no sense enhancing other parts of your life at the expense of your inner well-being.