I have two more Steve Chandler books to read and I’m only three quarters the way through the first one, his latest.
Perhaps I like his style so much because his approach is informal — kind of like mine, so there’s an immediate connection.
He also makes a number of great analogies and uses examples to demonstrate important emotional topics such as winning, losing, succeeding, aspirations, inspiration, growing old and the power of conscious creation.
Insertion of quotes throughout are perfectly selected, including one of my favorites: “And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” — Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche.
In his chapter on pleasure versus happiness, he starts with a Neil Young quote on Elvis: “The last time I saw Elvis, he was shooting at a color TV, the phones were ringing in the pink motel and the rest is history.”
Here, Steven writes about a friend who ‘made it’ early on, who he refers to Early Win. Gotta love it. I’ve met a lot of ‘Early Wins’ in Silicon Valley.
“He has a nagging feeling he’s not……..something…he’s not something, but what? What is it? Not producing? Not creating? Not contributing? Not important? He can’t put his finger on it, so he sets up lots of social encounters with others who also have nothing to do, and together they talk and talk”…..and then, “what Early never worked out in his mind was the difference between pleasure and happiness. Pleasure is the ego seeking instant gratification.”
Happiness is sustainable and pleasure is not happiness.
In a moment of weakness during my juice fast last week, I opened his book and I automatically landed on page 157 which read: “where do we get our willpower?” Surreal to say the least.
He writes about one of his childhood beliefs and where he thinks that belief connected to his lack of willpower — “somewhere I programmed in “I CAN’T” for survival. All childhood survival is the survival of potential humiliation.”
He continues later on:
“Some pepole have easy access to the “I can” switch that controls their will and power. Some hvae their holes where love or listening or decision-making want to be. But it’s all the same void. It’s all an absence of the awareness of the power of choice inside of us. A surrender of this power to other people and circumstances, so that life becomes outside-in, is annoying and frightening.”
Yes, I agree with you Steve and yet when we allow ourselves to go there and truly surrender, we feel most alive. Like we’re truly living…….in a vibrant, explosive, inspiring and fulfilling way. Whenever I think of one of my top three favorite quotes which is a Taoist saying, I always smile and its a smile that brings me immediate peace. —“The whole world surrenders to a quiet mind” —
Tag: Steve Chandler
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
