A young man asked Socrates the secret to success. Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river the next morning. They met. Socrates asked the young man to walk with him towards the river. When the water got up to their neck, Socrates took the young man by surprise and ducked him into the water. The boy struggled to get out but Socrates was strong and kept him there until the boy started turning blue. Socrates pulled his head out of the water and the first thing the young man did was to gasp and take a deep breath of air. Socrates asked, ‘What did you want the most when you were there?” The boy replied, “Air.” Socrates said, “That is the secret to life. When you want life as badly as you wanted the air, then you will get it.” There is no other secret.
Moral of the Story – A “proper” desire is the starting point of all meaning. Just like a small fire cannot give much heat, a weak effort cannot produce great results. The motivation to succeed comes from the burning desire to achieve a purpose.
Peace and Love, Jim
