Questioning Success, Process, and Cake

 

"Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first."

-- Ernestine Ulmer

Why is life's success mostly equated to the material?

People have forgotten how to be happy always, even in the face of adversity. If you’re happy, you have achieved the success that many wealthy people, mistakenly, think money can buy.

Do you see the glass as half empty or half full? Why?

Half full, always. As I round the corner into my 70s, I am still learning much and mentoring more.

What happens to those who fail to build their dreams?

I would hope they settle for something that will make them equally as happy. My dream was psychology, but I settled for a career in military intelligence. Turns out, I was exceedingly happy in that career and was able to use my education in psychology often.

Thankfully, dreams can change. If we'd all stuck with our first dream, the world would be overrun with cowboys and princesses. 

-- Stephen Colbert

What if my parents try to stop me from following my dreams?

Well, if you’re an adult, there’s not much they can say about it. Remember, the dreams are yours, not theirs. By following your own dreams, you might find out your parents are right. Either way, strive to be truly happy at all things, and at all times. Your parents may have forgotten this lesson… or were never taught the golden rule of true happiness by their own parents.

As a senior employee, what are some great comebacks after being in an embarrassing situation in front of your juniors?

“Well, then, let this be a lesson to all of you.”

Do you also believe that if you tell your plans to your family/friends/etc., about what you'll do in the future, it will not come true?

That all depends on if I’m a quitter. But, plans do change, and to follow through with a plan simply because you told people about it, is damned silly. The new path might be much more interesting and beneficial to your growth into who you will eventually become. I was planning to practice psychology, got drafted by the army, and chose a career in military intelligence for the Air Force, instead, and I never looked back.

“People who lack the clarity, courage, or determination to follow their own dreams will often find ways to discourage yours. Live your truth and don't EVER stop!”

-- Steve Maraboli

How long, or at what age, do you have until you can do nothing to make your future into greatness?

When you’re on your death bed. Until then, you can try to do whatever you want to put your mind to. You might not succeed, but you can always keep trying. It is a choice, your choice, to persevere.

Is it true that having money is the only way of truly being content in life?

Nope. As a matter of fact, I discovered true happiness and contentment when I stopped being driven by money and concentrated on just being happy always.

How do I find success in the process, not just the end goal?

Find happiness in what you’re doing. I find that whether the process is going good, or bad, I am just happy for the opportunity to try to excel. I learned that failure is just an opportunity to learn and move forward again. When you understand this, you will find happiness in all opportunities, not just those concerned with your goal, and not just the good ones.

"Accomplishing goals is not success. How much you expand in the process is."

-- Brianna Wiest

What do you want right now?

Chocolate Icebox Cake. Although, I’d settle for some “exotic” sex. Yes, chocolate icebox cake is that good.

People say having a passion for something can go a long way. How far has your passion taken you?

To just shy of my 70th birthday. I’ve retired from two careers I loved and worked for a few years, putting a country club back in order, before I became a chaplain at a local medical center. Now, I’m retired for good. Not one career had anything to do with the others. Your passion can take you wherever you want to go.

How can deists achieve success and happiness while living with constant fear and guilt that they might disappoint their imaginary disciplinarian?

I’m a deist and I have achieved much success and happiness without any fear or guilt. My “deity” endowed me with all the tools I need to live a good life. If, when, and how I use them is entirely in my hands. I have no fear of some “imaginary disciplinarian” in my life. The only one I fear disappointing is me.

“Fear of the lord makes a person a medieval idiot, nothing more. If you must be afraid of something, then be afraid of turning into a hateful bigot. Be afraid of being a blind follower to dogmas. Be afraid to become a deluded monster beneath the skin of a human being.”

-- Abhijit Naskar

When you get knocked down by life, how many times do you get up before you quit?

Enough times to keep standing, or piss off whoever keeps knocking me down.

What quote helps you get through the difficult moments?

“This, too, shall pass.”

Why is it that at times, doing nothing is something?

Because there is no such thing as doing nothing, because if you’re doing nothing then you are doing something called nothing,

"Journalists write because they have nothing to say, and have something to say because they write."

-- Karl Kraus

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with the United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as a chaplain at the regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com