What do you want beyond all else? LIFE, of course
and not merely existence or the physical ability to breathe and function. All
of us desire a particular quality of life, a combination of interest, zest,
excitement, achievement, satisfaction and peace of mind. Indeed, we want to
enjoy the world and the society of other people. Every individual desires to
experience beauty and the highest emotions and to possess the energy necessary
to meet daily responsibilities. Our hope is to live on a high level of physical
strength, mental interest and spiritual meaning. Through this book you will
discover, that to enjoy life of this superior quality, joy and enthusiasm are
the most important factors in the total process. Joy and enthusiasm are the two
qualities that are the basic ingredients for a good life. By ‘good life’, I
mean one that is intensely interesting and extremely exciting. It is a life
that is full of meaning and rich in satisfaction. Such a life is not free of
difficulties or problems; of course not. But it does possess the power to
overcome them and to attain victorious levels of experience.
In this book, therefore, the author presents his
personal treasury of joy and enthusiasm. These are incidents from thought,
experience and literature, drawn from many sources, which have contributed to
his personal joy and enthusiasm. His purpose in assembling this material is
that it may be for pleasure and value to each one of you and it will also aid
in developing and maintaining a positive attitude towards life. The author
strongly feels that people who consistently live by the ‘joy and enthusiasm’
pattern of thinking, seem to achieve a remarkable mastery over circumstances.
Quotations and short poems are also included in this
book. Two of my favourite quotes are mentioned below:
“Your
living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude
you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind
looks at what happens. Circumstances and situations do colour life, but you have
been given the mind to choose what the colour shall be!” - John Homer Miller
“The
secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age… never lose
your enthusiasm!” - Thomas Huxley
Norman Vincent Peale is the most widely read
inspirational writer of our time and this book too is a must read.