Inspirational Living: Life Lessons For Success & Happiness

Listen to episode 494 of the Inspirational Living podcast: The Royal Road to Happiness | William George Jordan. Edited and adapted from The Majesty of Calmness.Happiness Podcast Excerpt: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. Right now you can get all 3 of our eBooks (Evergreen, Everest, and Evermore) altogether for the one low price of $9.99. Each book of life lessons contains 50 inspirational essays that were once featured on this podcast. To get your copies now, go to InspirationalLifeLessons.com. Thank you.Today’s reading was edited and adapted from The Majesty of Calmness by William George Jordan, published in 1900."During my whole life I have not had twenty-four hours of happiness." So said Prince Otto von Bismarck, one of the greatest statesmen of the nineteenth century. Imagine that! Eighty-three years of wealth, fame, honors, power, influence, prosperity and triumph – years when he held an empire in his fingers – but not one day of happiness!Happiness is the greatest paradox in Nature.

Listen to episode 490 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Motivation for Developing Your Personal Power. Edited and adapted from Personal Power by Keith J. Thomas.Visit today's sponsor Swanson Health at Swanson.com. And use coupon code LIFE20 for 20% off.Motivational Podcast Transcript: "Be not afraid of greatness," says Shakespeare. "Some people are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." Which are you? I will tell you. You were born great; you can achieve greatness if you will; and if you go about it the right way, you will have greatness thrust upon you.The mistake so many people make is to confuse greatness with riches. The great person can have all they want, but they need not necessarily become rich. Carlyle was no more intended to be a millionaire than Andrew Carnegie was made to be a Milton. We cannot all be Shakespeares, or Darwins, or Rockefellers, but we can all be great.If we want money we can get it; if we want power we can get it: the o

Listen to episode 476 of the Inspirational Living podcast: C25K Motivation for Running Couch to 5K | Runners High. Including motivational and uplifting quotes on running.Podcast Transcript: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. The topic of today’s podcast is a little different. While I occasionally mention the importance of exercise and having a fit body, most of the time I talk about life lessons and success habits unrelated to fitness.But not today. Today we are going to talk about running, because around 8 weeks ago I decided that I was going to take up running for the first time. While I played a lot of sports in my youth, I always hated running. But now at the age of 52, not having done any regular, aerobic exercise in many years, I decided to start running, AND that I was going to enjoy it. Not only that, I set a goal for myself of running a 10.5K mini-marathon by the end of the year.I downloaded the free C25K app by Zen Labs, which thousands of other people have used successfully to take up run

Listen to episode 465 of the Inspirational Living podcast: The Meaning of Education. Edited and adapted from Character Building by Booker T. Washington.Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. If you would like to help support the continuation of this podcast with a one-time financial donation, please visit LivingHour.org/donate. Thank you. Today’s reading was edited and adapted from Booker T. Washington’s book Character Building, which is a collection of Sunday evening talks he delivered to the students of the Tuskegee Institute, the first institution of higher education for African Americans. The book was published in 1902.It may seem to some of you that I am continually talking to you about education — the right kind of education, how to get an education, and such kindred subjects — but surely no subject could be more pertinent, since the object for which you all are here is to get an education; and if you are to do this, you wish to get the best kind possible.You will un

Listen to episode 450 of the Inspirational Living Podcast: Building Health, Energy & Personality. Edited and adapted from the work of Charles Atlas. Motivational Podcast Excerpt: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. If you’re a fan of our podcast, don’t forget that our official Inspirational Living t-shirt is available at TeePublic. Shop now by visiting LivingHour.org/clothing. The very first essential thing to do in securing radiant health and physical strength is the deep breathing of pure, outside air. We can live without food for many weeks, without water for many days, but we cannot live without air for more than a few minutes. Air is equally a food as fruits and vegetables. When it enters into the composition of the body, its value cannot be over emphasized. Yet because it is so cheap we often ignore its real value. Remember that oxygen is LIFE! The more oxygen you breathe, the more health and strength you will get. This life-giving oxygen furnishes the power to pump the blood through the he

Listen to episode 441 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Seizing Opportunities | Master of Your Fate. Edited and Adapted from Success and How to Win It by B.F. Austin. Motivational Podcast Excerpt: The Spanish have a proverb that half of the misfortunes in life come from holding in your horse while it is leaping. The rider who checks a horse when vaulting over a hedge or brook courts death or disaster. So, when the time comes for supreme effort (the grand vault that is to lift you over the obstacles in your path and introduce you to a higher and nobler arena), you must enter into the spirit and effort of the hour and not hold back your horse when it is leaping. There comes to each life but a few of these moments, and when they do come they must be improved to the utmost. The one who would win in life's heavily contested conflicts must wisely lay aside everything that will hinder the fullest exercise of their powers or lessen their chances of winning success. Every weight carried lessens the chances of v

Listen to episode 425 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Inspirational Life Lessons | Dr. Frank Crane. Adapted from “If I Were Twenty-One” by Dr. Frank Crane. Motivational Podcast Excerpt: Learn the art of conversation, of small talk. Equip yourself to be able to entertain the grouchiest, most blasé people. For there is hardly a business in the world in which it is not a great advantage to be able to converse entertainingly. The secret of being a good conversationalist is a genuine, unselfish interest in others. That and practice. It consists more in making the other person talk, than in talking yourself. In addition, do not argue. I never knew one person in my life that was convinced by argument. Discuss, yes; but not argue. The difference is this: in discussion you are searching for the truth, and in argument you want to prove that you are right. In discussion, therefore, you are anxious to know your neighbor’s views, and you listen to them. In argument, you don’t care anything about the other person’s op

Listen to episode 410 of the Inspirational Living podcast: How to Live Right & Get the Most Out of Life. Edited and adapted from Right Living by Susan H. Wixon. Motivational Podcast Transcript: "Living will teach you how to live better than any preacher or book," says Goethe. But what is it to live? Is it simply to eat, drink, and be merry? Is it to learn a little, here and there; to laugh and play; to sleep, weep, toil, and battle from day to day, and from year to year for food and shelter? Is it to bend every energy to the acquirement of wealth, fame, or position? Is it to sacrifice all for the applause of the multitude? Life is more than that. It has larger uses. It contains greater and grander results. It holds loftier and nobler aspirations. Its measure is flaming with the fires of truth, glowing with the gold of understanding. Life, rightly lived is an inspiration, an incentive to high effort, a means of true and sure happiness. The one who is worthy of the praise and gratitude of millions,

Listen to episode 393 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Beauty, Truth & The Upanishads. Edited and adapted from The Realisation of Life by Rabindranath Tagore. Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: Every day our science is penetrating into the region formerly marked on the map as unexplored or unexplorable. Our sense of beauty is similarly engaged in ever pushing on from its conquests. Truth is everywhere, therefore everything is the object of our knowledge. Beauty is omnipresent, therefore everything is capable of giving us joy. In the early days of human history, we took everything as a phenomenon of life. The science of life then began by creating a sharp distinction between life and non-life. But as science is proceeding further and further, the line of demarcation between the animate and inanimate is growing more and more vague. In the beginning of our understanding, the sharp lines of contrast were helpful to us, but as our comprehension becomes clearer they gradually fade away. The Upanishads have said

Listen to episode 380 of the Inspirational Living podcast: The Wisdom of Nikola Tesla | My Inventions. Edited and adapted from the writing of Nikola Tesla. Inspirational Podcast Transcript: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. A special thanks to our newest patrons Stanley Oahimin and Daniel McGehee. By becoming patrons, Stanley and Daniel now get access to 100 additional podcasts from our archive that are no longer available in our current public list — as well as full transcripts to every episode. To get that same access, become our patron today. You can do so for as little as $3 a month. Learn more at LivingHour.org/patron. Thank you. Today’s reading was edited and adapted from the writings of Nikola Tesla. “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.” “The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and yet be quite insane.” “The day science begins to study non-physical phe

Listen to episode 268 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Literary Life Lessons from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Edited and adapted from The Maxims and Reflections of Goethe. Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. I’d like to thank all of you who’ve taken the time to subscribe to our YouTube channel. I’m only about 45 people short of my goal of 1000 subscribers by the end of the month. So, if you would like to help me out and subscribe, please visit LivingHour.org/youtube. Or simply go to YouTube, search for the Inspirational Living podcast, and click the subscribe button. Thank you. Today’s reading was edited and adapted from The Maxims and Reflections of Goethe. Translated by T. Bailey Saunders, and published in 1906. THERE is nothing worth thinking but it has been thought before; we must only try to think it again. In the works of humankind, as in those of nature, it is really the motive which is chiefly worth our attention. How can you come to know yourself? Never by

Listen to episode 265 of the Inspirational Living podcast: A Brahmin Guide for Living a Noble Life. Edited and adapted from The Economy of Human Life, translated from an ancient Brahmin manuscript by Robert Dodsley. Podcast Excerpt: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. With high school and university graduations upon us, you may be looking for the perfect graduation gift. Share a lifetime’s worth of wisdom by giving the new graduate our books of timeless inspirational life lessons—available now in both heirloom hardcover and e-book. Purchase your copies today by visiting our website InspirationalLifeLessons.com. Thank you. Today’s reading was edited and adapted from The Economy of Human Life, translated from an ancient Brahmin Manuscript by Robert Dodsley, published in 1839. COMMUNE with yourself and consider for what reason you were made. Contemplate your powers, your wants, and your connections — so that you shall discover the duties of life, and be directed in all your ways. Proceed not to speak o

Listen to episode 264 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Gautama Buddha | Inspirational Quotes. Edited and adapted from words and thoughts attributed to Gautama Buddha. Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast, brought to you by the generous financial support of listeners like you. Gain access to our exclusive series on spiritual growth by becoming our patron today. Learn more about the series Our Sunday Talks by visiting LivingHour.org/Sunday. Thank you. Today’s reading has been edited and adapted from words and thoughts attributed to Gautama Buddha. “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” “Three things cannot hide for long: the Moon, the Sun and the Truth.” “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our though

Listen to episode 237 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Carl Jung on Life, God & Religion. Edited and adapted from the work of Carl Jung. Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. Visit our lifestyle brand BookofZen.com to shop for inspirational fashion and gifts. Proceeds help support the production of our podcast. Today’s reading was edited and adapted from the work of Swiss psychologist Carl Jung. “The decisive question for humanity is: Are we related to something infinite or not? That is the telling question of our lives. Only if we know that the thing which truly matters is the infinite can we avoid fixing our interests upon futilities and upon all kinds of goals which are not of real importance. The more we lay stress on false possessions, and the less sensitivity we have for what is essential, the less satisfying is our life. We feel limited because we have limited aims, and the result is envy and jealousy. If we understand, and feel, that here in this life we a

Listen to episode 236 of the Inspirational Living podcast: How to Live a Good Life | Lubbock, Seneca, Epictetus. Edited and adapted from edited and adapted from The Use of Life by Sir John Lubbock. Inspirational Podcast Excerpt: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. To gain access to the full transcripts of our more than 200 podcasts, please become our monthly patron for less than the price of your favorite Latte. Learn more at LivingHour.org/patron. Today’s reading was edited and adapted from The Use of Life by Sir John Lubbock, published in 1894. The most important thing to learn in life, is how to live. There is nothing people are so anxious to keep as life, and nothing they take so little pains to keep well. This is no simple matter. "Life is short. Art is long. Opportunity fleeting. Experiment uncertain, and Judgment difficult,'' says Hippocrates. Happiness and success in life do not depend on our circumstances, but on ourselves. More people have ruined themselves than have ever been

Listen to episode 214 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Wake up & Live | Mindfulness Exercises. Edited and adapted from Wake Up & Live by Dorothea Brande. Motivational Podcast Excerpt: There are dozens of small ways by which we can make our minds both keener and more flexible – two qualities that are necessary for those who intend to live successfully. We all succumb too easily to the temptation to find a routine which allows us to get our day’s tasks done with a minimum of effort and conscious attention — a fact which might have no unfortunate effects at all if we used the time we save by our routines to a good purpose. But the cold truth is that we do nothing of the sort. We apply the habit of routines to our whole lives, growing mentally and spiritually more flaccid, more timorous, less experimental with every day we spend supported by the rigidity of habit. Habit takes care of most of our ordinary activities. We get through our work by using only that part of our intellect which has been train

Listen to episode 200 of the Inspirational Living podcast: How to Build Personal Magnetism | Magnetic Charisma. Adapted Stepping-Stones to Success by Horace D. Hitchcock. Self-Development Podcast Excerpt: Henry Ward Beecher once said: "There are persons so radiant, so genial, so kind, so pleasure bearing, that you instinctively feel in their presence that they do you good; whose coming into a room is like the bringing of a lamp there." That is personal magnetism. It is that quality of personality which attracts, causes admiration in others, and is a compelling force to success and good living. A person may be beautiful and brilliant mentally, but if they lack "personal magnetism" they are dull and uninteresting to those with whom they come in contact. Personal magnetism is the magic flame that lights up the inner soul. It is that wonderful charm which, when properly cultivated and used, is a priceless treasure. It is true that all things of influence can be made to produce good or evil. The

Listen to episode 199 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Sun Tzu: The Art of War | Leadership and Management. Adapted from the classic work by Sun Tzu.Podcast Excerpt: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. If you value our podcast, don’t forget to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to us on YouTube. If you feel inspired to leave us a review at the iTunes store, that would be much appreciated too. Today’s reading is a collection of quotes from Sun Tzu’s classic The Art of War, which was written in China during the 5th century B.C.“If you know your opponent and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not your opponent, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither your opponent nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”“Supreme excellence consists of breaking your opponent’s resistance without fighting.” “There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to

Listen to episode 197 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Arthur Schopenhauer: Quotes, Wisdom & Philosophy Talk. Adapted from A Multitude of Counsellors by J.N. Larned.Self-Help Podcast Excerpt: The most general survey shows us that the two foes of happiness are pain and boredom. We may go further, and say that in the degree in which we are fortunate enough to get away from the one, we approach the other. Life presents, in fact, a more or less violent oscillation between the two. Needy surroundings and poverty produce pain; while, if we are more than well off, we are bored. Nothing is so good a protection as inward wealth, the wealth of the mind, because the greater it grows the less room it leaves for boredom. . . .The conclusion we come to is that the individual whom nature has endowed with intellectual wealth is the happiest. Men and women of inner wealth want nothing from outside but the gift of undisturbed leisure, to develop and mature their intellectual faculties, that is, to enjoy their wealth. I

Listen to episode 192 of the Inspirational Living podcast: Sowing & Reaping. Edited and adapted from a book by the same name by Booker T. Washington.Motivational Podcast Excerpt: What I am about to tell you now is true of all the pursuits of life. We get out of every venture just what we put into it; no more, no less. To attain success we must put forth hard and honest labor. At the back of all success there is hard, persistent labor. There is no royal road — those who think there is always fail.No person ever reaped any success in life who did not sow wisely. As each person takes up the serious business of life, they must do something — they must labor and wait. In order to reap something, something must be done. Value for value is the real standard of life's exchange of benefits.Show me someone who is always grumbling, always finding fault with their condition, never satisfied with their opportunities, and I will show you a person who does not appreciate the opportunities in the environment in which