CONTENT

Chapter Title Page

No. No.

1 Human Va;ues 01

2 Ethics 08

3 Vision of Life 09

4 Mission of Life 17

5 Goals of Life 20

6 Principles of Life 27 7 Philosophy of Life 30

8 Self awareness 34

9 Self satisfaction 37

10 Self exploration 40

11 Decision making 43

12 Motivation 46

13 Sensitivity 49

14 Success 53

15 Selfless service 56

16 Attachment and detachment 58

17 Body, Mind and Soul 62 18 Positive spirit 66

 Chapter 1
Human Values

Human values are the features that guide people to take into account the human element
when one interacts with other human. These human values have the effect of bonding,
comforting, reassuring and procuring serenity. Human values are the basis for any practical life
within society. In simple term, human values are described as universal and are shared by all
human beings, whatever their religion, their nationality, their culture, and their personal
history. By nature, they persuade consideration for others.
Meaning of Value
The term ‘value’ comes from the Latin word ‘valere’ which means ‘to be of worth’.
Whereas, the concise Oxford Dictionary defines the term ‘value’ as the ‘worth, desirability or
utility of a thing’. Values are defined as something which are desirable and worthy of esteem
for their own sake. According to R.K. Mukherjee (1965), “Values are socially approved desires
and goals that are internalized through the process of conditioning (training), learning or
socialization and that become subjective (personal) preferences, standards, and aspirations”.
As already stated, that the term ‘value’ stands for ‘worth’. However, still more
perfectly, it may be said that the term ‘value’ stands for ‘intrinsic worth’. Whatever is actually
liked, prized, esteemed, desired, approved or enjoyed by any one, is valuable. Values can also
be defined as those things that are valued by someone. In other words, values are what is
considered important by an individual or an organization. Examples include courage, honesty,
freedom, innovation etc. An interdependent, accepted or consistent set of value is called Value-
System.
Values are the guiding principles of our lives. These are essential for positive human
behaviour and actions in our daily lives. These are formed on the basis of interests, choices,
needs, desires and preferences.
Need for Values
We encounter several circumstances every day which test our patience, our character
and peace of mind. We have to make tough decisions each day. What guide us in these
circumstances are our values. Our values serve as markers to tell if life is heading in the right
direction. When our actions and words are aligned with our values, life feels good and we feel
content, confident and satisfied. But when our behaviours don’t match-up with our values, we
sense an uneasiness that grows inside us. This uncomfortable feeling tells us that not all is
good right now. We feel out-of-sorts. These feelings can be a source of anxiety and
unhappiness. We need value in our lives to:
• Guide us in the right path.
• Learn the importance of certainty, goodness and beauty.
• Give direction to life and bring joy.
• Learn satisfaction towards life.
• Attain peace in life.
• Develop character.
• Preserve our culture and heritage.
• Bring changes in behaviour towards positive thoughts.
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 • Promote the peace and harmony in the society.
Basic Human Values
Basic human values refer to those values which are at the core of being human. The values
which are considered basic inherent values in humans include truth, honesty, loyalty, love,
peace, etc. because they bring out the fundamental goodness of human beings and society at
large. Further, since these values are unifying in nature and cut across individual’s social,
cultural, religious and sectarian interests; they are also considered universal, timeless and
eternal applying to all human beings. The most important human values are:
1. Co-operation: It is the process of working together to the same end. It is undeniably one
of the most vital assets one can have when working through a problem. Having the
opinions and voice of another person will not only draw out a discussion of the topic, but
also lead you to a well-rounded solution.
2. Caring: Often seen as displaying kindness and concern for others. The true importance of
this value comes from the work or practice of looking after those unable to care for
themselves. Caring for others both physically and spiritually is a vitally important value to
have; people will always rely on someone else for help at one point or another, but we
often fail to realize how much of a difference caring for another person can make.
3. Honesty: Honesty is also vital human values. An honest person is often straight, upright,
sincere and fair and being an honest person brings more reward to the soul than the damage
a lie could do.
4. Love: The presence of love in human life, the love they have for their families, friends,
their faith and for themselves is important source of energy to lead smooth life.
5. Respect: Respect is a feeling of deep admiration (have a high regard for) for someone or
something elicited (obtain, bring forth) by their abilities, qualities, or achievements. The
essence to this is that when you want to be treated with respect, you will treat others with
respect; its one of those rare instances that in obtaining this feeling you will better the way
the world views you.
6. Commitment: Commitment shows loyalty and it can show bravery and tenacity as well. A
commitment is a promise made and an expectation we have created. Honoring our
commitments can make the difference between achieving what’s most important to us or
feeling disappointed and defeated.
7. Patience: Patience is a value which can also improve productivity because it creates a
better state of mind, a clearer state of mind, for better decision making.
8. Tolerance: There are people who make us angry and we just can’t seem to see eyeto-eye
with on an issue. Rather than showing contempt, tolerance is a better alternative. It shows
respects, patience and courtesy – all important values in their own right, too.
9. Appreciation: Taking a brief moment to say, “thank you,” or acknowledging the
exceptional job the restaurant server did when waiting on you is not only encouraging for
the beneficiary to hear; it fills your soul with more appreciation too.
10. Compassion: We are all part of this thing called the human condition. No doubt we have
different skin colors, religious preferences and political points-of-view, but at the end of
the day, we still need to take care of one another.
11. Faith: It is complete trust or confidence in someone or something, not only living with
invisible means of support but knowing that there is an ocean, because there is a river.
Certain things in life require a bit of faith because the world isn’t black and white,
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 sometimes you need a little bit of unknown to accomplish things you never thought you
could.
12. Beauty: the true meaning of beauty is being in balance and harmony with nature. The
importance of this Human Value is clear when you think about the things that bring
meaning into your life such as family and friends, these things become beautiful in a
greater sense. Finding things that have personal meaning in your life and allowing them to
fill you with emotion is one of the most important values.
13. Trust: Trust can be interpreted in many ways, but ultimately it comes down to reliability
and truth.
14. Integrity: The quality of being honest and having strong moral principlescan be seen as a
non-willingness to change or to adapt to a new way of thinking.
15. Wisdom: Wisdom is something that is the most important human value in many ways;
under-appreciated in its importance, in its value, in our lives and in its true meaning.
Wisdom is the quality of having experience and good judgment and the resulting soundness
of that action or decision.
Sources of Values
A significant portion of the values we hold is established in our early years from parents,
teachers, friends, and others. There are so many sources from which we can acquire different
values. Sources of values are;
1. Family: Family is a great source of values. A child learns his first value from his
family.
2. Friends and peers: Friends and peers play a vital role in achieving values.
3. Community or society: As a part of society, a person learns values from society or
different groups of the society.
4. School: As a learner, school and teachers also play a very important role in introducing
values.
5. Media: Media such as – Print media, Electronic media also play the role of increasing
values in the mind of people.
6. Relatives: Relative also helps to create values in the minds of people.
7. Organization: Different organizations and institutions also play a vital role in creating
value.
8. Religion: Religion is one of the important sources of values.
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Values
The term intrinsic means “in itself” or “for its own sake”. Intrinsic values are those values
which have an eternal property without any reference to any end. For example, happiness or
peace or joy or truth is an intrinsic value. Extrinsic values are those whose property or value
depends on how much it generates the intrinsic values. Having a family is an extrinsic value
because its value depends on how much happiness or joy it creates. Types of Values
Two types of values are;
1. Terminal Values.
2. Instrumental Values.
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Terminal Values: These are values that we think are most important or most desirable. These
refer to desirable end states of existence, the goals a person would like to achieve during his or
her lifetime. They include happiness, self-respect, recognition, inner harmony, leading a
prosperous life, and professional excellence.
Instrumental Values: Instrumental values deal with views on acceptable modes of conductor
means of achieving the terminal values. These include being honest, sincere, ethical, and being
ambitious. These values are more focused on personality traits and character.
Terminal Values are most desirable to humans and Instrumental values are views of
how human desires should be achieved.

Chapter 2
Ethics

Individuals are not born with an ability to understand the aspects of human behaviour. As
individuals mature, their physical, emotional, and cognitive abilities develop and so does their
ability to deal with ethical issues. Humans acquire their ethical abilities through teaching and
habituation by their families and communities to think, feel and behave in appropriate ways.
Ethics plays a critical role in shaping the individuals behaviours within a society. Since the
beginning of human civilization, man have tried to hold human conduct in check to preserve
the peace of society. Ethics act as a self-governing system to keep human self-interest and the
good of society at equilibrium because the eyes of the law are not always available (Duska,
2012).
Definition of Ethics
The term ethics is derived from the Greek word ‘ethos’ which can mean custom, habit,
character or disposition. Ethics primarily exists in interaction of individual and society.
Through the interaction with human, ethics can help to people to build trust and intimate
relationship in society. Hence, individuals in the society will expect others to behave ethically
and do not hurt others for personal benefit. As a backbone to the society, ethics play an
incredibly important role to the society because it arises from the conscience or a sense to
determine right and wrong. It is concerned with what is good for individuals and society. At
its simplest, ethics is a system of moral principles. Pettifor (1996) defined ethics as rightness
and wrongness of human behaviour. Other than that, Bart (2011) defined ethics as moral
principles and rules of conduct to judge human behaviour.
Ethics, simply, may be defined as moral principles that govern a person's behaviour or
the conducting of an activity. Ethics, also called moral philosophy, the discipline concerned
with what is morally good and bad, right and wrong. Thus, the field of ethics involves
systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behaviour.

Difference between Morals and Ethics

The terms ethics and morality are closely related. Historically, the term ‘ethics’ comes
from Greek ethos which means the customs, habits and mores of people. ‘Morality’ is derived
from Latin mos, moriswhich denotes basically the same; it was introduced by Cicero as an

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equivalent to the Greek ethos. For the sake of clarity, as a standard definition that morality
means the customs, the special dos and don'ts that are shared and widely accepted as standard
in a society or group of people. Ethics on the other hand is the philosophical reflection upon
these rules and ways of living together, the customs and habits of individuals, groups or
mankind as such. Put simply, morals are the customs established by group of individuals
whereas ethics defines the character of an individual. The major differences between Morals
and Ethics are as under:
1. Morals deal with what is ‘right or wrong’. Ethics deals with what is ‘good or evil’.
2. Morals are general guidelines framed by the society . Conversely, ethics are a response
to a particular situation.
3. The term morals is derived from a Greek word ‘mos’ which refers to custom and the
customs are determined by group of individuals or some authority. On the other hand,
ethics is originated from Greek word ‘ethos’ which refers to character and character is
an attribute.
4. Morals are dictated by society, culture or religion while ethics are chosen by the person
himself which governs his life.
5. Morals are concerned with principles of right and wrong. On the contrary, ethics
stresses on right and wrong conduct.
6. As morals are framed and designed by the group, there is no option to think and
choose; the individual can either accept or reject. Conversely, the people are free to
think and choose the principles of his life in ethics.
7. Morals may vary from society to society and culture to culture. Ethics remains same
regardless of any culture, religion or society.
Importance of Ethics
Ethics play important role in moulding one’s behaviour to identify what is right and wrong to
do in a society. Ethics acts as a guiding force to dictate an individual’s sense of right and
wrong. Ethics is important because of the following:
1. Satisfying basic human needs: Being fair, honest and ethical is one the basic human
needs. Everyone desires to be such himself and to live in society that is fair and ethical in its
practices.
2. Creating credibility: An individual that is believed to posses moral values is respected
in the society even by those who may have moral values.
3. Improving decision making: A man’s destiny is the sum total of all the decisions that
he/she takes in course of his life. Decisions are driven by values.
4. Securing the Society: Often ethics succeeds law in safeguarding the society. The law
machinery is often found acting as a mute spectator, unable to save the society and the
environment.
5. Create a harmonious and conforming environment: Ethics tries to create a sense of
right and wrong in the society and often when the law fails, it is the ethics that may stop
harming the society or environment.

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Determinants of Ethics
Primarily ethics is affected by various factors. It is for this reason we do not have uniform or
completely similar standards across the globe. These factors exert influences to varying
degrees on humans which ultimately get reflected in the ethics. Again, ethical procedures vary
across geographic boundaries. The factors are as below:
1. Religion: It is one of the oldest foundations of ethical standards. Religion wields
varying influences across various sects of people. It is believed that ethics is a
manifestation of the divine and so it draws a line between the good and the bad in the
society. Depending upon the degree of religious influence we have different sects of
people; we have sects, those who are referred to as orthodox or fundamentalists and
those who are called as moderates.
2. Culture: Culture is a pattern of behaviours and values that are transferred from one
generation to another, those that are considered as ideal or within the acceptable limits.
It is the culture that predominantly determines what is wrong and what is right. It is the
culture that defines certain behaviour as acceptable and others as unacceptable.
3. Law: Laws are procedures and code of conduct that are laid down by the legal system
of the state. They are meant to guide human behaviour within the social fabric.
4. Personal values and morals: An individual’s values and morals also influence his or
or her ethical standards. A key variable which affects the ethical behaviour is “locus of
control”. An individual with an internal locus of control believes that he/she can control
the events in his/her life. An individual with an external locus of control believes that
fate or luck or other people affect his life.
5. Family influences: Individuals start to form ethical standards as children in response
to their perception of their parent’s behaviour and are likely to adopt high ethical
standards if they see that their family members adhere to high ethical standard.
6. Peer influences: Peers are colleagues who are always around us in conducting our
daily work. The behaviours and attitudes of peers influence an individual’s decisions in
their life. They play an important role in ethical decision making.
7. Life experiences: Individual’s life experiences analyze key ethical concepts such as
“right”, “wrong,” and “permissible.” It lets us explores possible sources of moral
obligation such as God, human reason, or the desire to be happy. It seeks to establish
principles of right behaviour that may serve as action guides for individuals and
groups.
Ethical Principles
Philosophers Tom Beauchamp and Jim Childress (2012) proposed four key principles: respect
for autonomy, beneficence (the obligation to do good), nonmaleficence (the duty not to harm),
and justice. Others, in bioethics, have suggested additional derivative principles, including
veracity (the obligation to tell the truth), fidelity (the duty to keep promises), and avoidance of
killing (Veatchet al., 2010). The basic principles of ethics are as:
1. Respect for Persons/Autonomy - Acknowledge a person’s right to make choices, to
hold views, and to take actions based on personal values and beliefs
2. Justice - Treat others equitably, distribute benefits/burdens fairly.
3. Nonmaleficence (do no harm) - Obligation not to inflict harm intentionally.

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 4. Beneficence (do good) - Provide benefits to persons and contribute to their welfare.
Refers to an action done for the benefit of others.
5. Fidelity - The principle of fidelity broadly requires that we act in ways that are loyal.
This includes keeping our promises, doing what is expected of us, performing our
duties and being trustworthy.
6. Veracity - The principle of veracity, or truth telling, requires that one be honest in their
interactions with others.
7. Avoidance of killing - Avoidance of killing is a moral consideration that arises in
health care controversies involving the notions that human life is sacred or that killing
is morally wrong.

Subject Areas of Ethics

Philosophers today usually divide ethical theories into three general subject areas: metaethics,
normative ethics, and applied ethics.
1. Metaethics: Metaethics is the study of the origin and meaning of ethical concepts. It
covers issues from moral semantics to moral epistemology. Two issues, though, are
prominent: (1) metaphysical issues concerning whether morality exists independently
of humans, and (2) psychological issues concerning the underlying mental basis of our
moral judgments and conduct.
2. Normative Ethics: Normative ethics involves arriving at moral standards that regulate
right and wrong conduct. In a sense, it is a search for an ideal litmus test of proper
behaviour.
3. Applied Ethics: Applied ethics refers to the practical application of moral
considerations. It is ethics with respect to real-world actions and their moral
considerations in the areas of private and public life, the professions, health,
technology, law, and leadership. Approaches to Ethics
The different dimensions to study the ethics help in arriving at ethical decisions during
complex situation. These varied approaches to ethics look into the question of how ethical
action is determined during a particular situation. Human beings are confronted with situations
wherein their decisions about actions may lead to opposed and perhaps equally unwelcome
alternatives. Following Reddy and Ajmera (2015), the approaches to ethics are as discussed
below:
1. Utilitarian approach: Utilitarian approach deals with consequences tries to increase the
good and reduce the harm that is done (Reddy and Ajmera, 2015). The utilitarian
approach chooses the actions that will produce the greatest benefits and the least harm.
The ethical action is the one that provides the greatest good for the greatest number.
3. The right approach: The Rights Approach focuses on respect for human dignity.
People have dignity based on their capability to choose freely what they will do with
their lives and they have fundamental moral right to have these choices respected.
4. Fairness or justice approach: The Fairness Approach focuses on the fair and
equitable distribution of good and harm, and/or the social benefits and social costs,
across the spectrum of society. It starts with the principle that all equals should be
treated similarly, and those who are unequal due to relevant differences, should be
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 treated differently in a manner that is fair and proportionate to, or commensurate with,
their difference.
5. Common goods approach: This approach to ethics assumes a society comprising
individuals whose own good is inextricably linked to the good of community.
7. Virtue approach: This is very primitive approach to ethics in which ethical actions
ought to be consistent with certain ideal virtues that provide for the full development of
our humanity. The virtual approach to ethics assumes that there are certain ideals
toward which we should strive which offer overall development of humans.
Components of Ethics
Key components of ethics are described below:
1. Honesty: Honesty is a facet of moral character that connotes positive and virtuous
attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, straightforwardness, including straightforwardness of
conduct, along with the absence of lying, cheating, theft, etc. Honesty also involves being
trustworthy, loyal, fair, and sincere.
2. Integrity: Integrity is the practice of being honest and showing a consistent and
uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values. In ethics,
integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions.
3. Transparency: Transparency is operating in such a way that it is easy for others to see
what actions are performed. Transparency implies openness, communication, and
accountability.
4. Accountability: In ethics, accountability is answerability, blameworthiness, liability,
and the expectation of account-giving. Accountability is the acknowledgment and assumption
of responsibility for actions, products, decisions, and policies within the scope of the role or
position and encompassing the obligation to report, explain and be answerable for resulting
consequences.
5. Confidentiality: Confidentiality involves a set of rules or a promise usually executed
through confidentiality agreements that limits access or places restrictions on certain types of
information.
6. Objectivity: objectivity may refer to fairness, disinterestedness, factuality, and
nonpartisanship, but most often encompasses all of these qualities.
7. Respect: Respect, also called esteem, is a positive feeling or action shown towards
someone or something considered important, or held in high esteem or regard. It conveys a
sense of admiration for good or valuable qualities. And it is also the process of honoring
someone by exhibiting care, concern, or consideration for their needs or feelings.
8. Obedience to the law: Law is a system of rules that are created and enforced through
social or governmental institutions to regulate behaviour. Law is a system that regulates and
ensures that individuals or a community adhere to the will of the state.
9. Loyalty: Loyalty, in general use, is a devotion and faithfulness to a nation, cause,
philosophy, country, group, or person.

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 Chapter 3
Vision of Life

A vision is the mental picture of the future one desire. It is a picture of excellence,
something that the person, team or organization wants to create in its best possible future. It is
viewed as a mental picture of a compelling future situation (Papulova, 2014). It originates from
creative imagination, the act or power of perceiving imaginative mental images, sort of
foresightedness (Joachim, 2010). A vision is not a vague wish or dream or hope. It’s a picture
of the real results of real efforts. It comes from the future and informs and energizes the
present. A vision inspires action. A powerful vision pulls in ideas, people and other resources.
It creates the energy and will to make change happen. It inspires individuals and organizations
to commit, to persist and to give their best. A vision is a practical guide for creating plans,
setting goals and objectives, making decisions, and coordinating and evaluating the work on
any project, large or small.Vision in this understanding should be developed based on ideas
about future dominant factors and their impacts that will create an environment different from
the environment in the past or present.

Benefits of Vision
Visualization is one of the most important techniques available to all for achieving great
success in life. Some of the benefits of effective visions include:

• Vision provides direction and helps the person prepare for the future.
• Vision provides guidance for decision making.
• Vision helps set priorities and guides planning.
• Vision provides purpose and a source of inspiration.
• Vision reflects person’s core values and beliefs.
• Vision brings change and hope for the future.
• Vision makes dreams clear.
• Vision creates better intention.
• Vision makes people more creative.
• Vision makes people more productive.
• Vision increases chances of success.
• Vision unleashes inner potential of people.
• Vision makes people more determined and focused.
• Vision boosts self-confidence.

Characteristics of an Effective Vision

The following characteristics will help in developing a meaningful and compelling vision.
1. Future Focused: Vision describes the desired future. It sets the context for
action. A vision makes clear the person’s direction.
2. Directional: An effective vision provides direction and makes clear where the
individual is going. This means that a vision needs to be specific enough to shape decision
making and appropriately broad to allow innovative strategies for realizing the vision.
3. Clear: An effective vision provides guidance for decision making and
independent action. This requires the vision to be clearly articulated and easily understood.
The vision must clarify focus, direction and constraints, to ensure that scare resources are

9
 focused on the most strategic initiatives. Vision that is clear enables effective allocation of
scare resources.
4. Relevant: An effective vision connects what has happened in the past to the
desired future this gives the vision credibility.
5. Purpose-Driven: An effective vision provides a larger sense of purpose for the
people. That purpose must be more meaningful than getting bigger or beating the
competition. Vision connects people to a meaningful purpose, allowing them to feel that
they are part of something bigger than themselves.
6. Values Based: They influence the behaviour and attitude of people.
7. Challenging: An effective vision challenges us. A vision is a goal that should
challenge us, stretch us and set a high standard for the people. Effective visions represent a
future that is beyond what is possible today or what we think possible tomorrow. It is the
highest level goal that unites and challenges aperson.
8. Unique: An effective vision reflects what’s unique. Vision must make clear the
activities that an individual will and will not pursue, the capabilities to be developed and
the position he will occupy.
9. Vivid: An effective vision provides a vivid mental image of what person will be
like in the future. Well crafted visions describe the future in a way that is easy to imagine
and to picture in the mind’s eye.
10. Inspiring: An effective vision engages and inspires people to commit to a
cause. Vision appeals to the hearts and minds of people.

Creating Vision for Life

Following Carpenter et al., (2012), a five-step process of creating vision is being
discussed below:

Step 1: Identify Past Successes - Spend some time identifying four or five examples
where you have had personal success in recent years. These successes could be at work, in
your community, or at home. Write them down.

Step 2: Identify Core Values - Develop a list of attributes that you believe identify who
you are and what your priorities are. The list can be as long as you need. Once your list is
complete, narrow values to five or six most important values. Finally, choose the one value
that is most important to you.

Step 3: Identify Contributions. Make a list of the ways you could make a difference. In
an ideal situation, how could you contribute best to:
• the world in general
• your family
• your employer or future employers
• your friends
• your community

Step 4: Identify Goals - Spend some time thinking about your priorities in life and the
goals you have for yourself. Make a list of your personal goals, perhaps in the short term
(up to three years) and the long term (beyond three years).
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Step 5: Write Vision Statements - On the basis of the first four steps and a better
understanding of yourself, begin writing your personal vision statements.

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 Chapter 4
Mission of
Life

The most highly successful people did not attain greatness by luck. They knew what
they believed and where they wanted to go. They were men with solid values and defined
goals, as well as a clear vision and sense of mission. They know what their purpose is and
what they want to achieve. When striving toward any goal, it’s important to find ways to
remind yourself why that goal is so important to you so you can stay focused. Developing a
sense of mission pave a way toward success in life.
Mission
Mission is an important goal or purpose that is accompanied by strong conviction. Mission is
simple statements that clarify what you are all about and what you want to do in life. Mission
needs to include enthusiasms for life. Mission enables us to fulfill our purpose. One can
identify his mission by understanding his purpose. Mission Statement
A Mission statements is a formal summary of the aims and values of a company, organization,
or individual. A mission statement describes fundamental purpose. It guides the planning and
implementation of vision. It’s a description that encompasses objectives, long-term goals, and
guiding philosophy. In a corporate environment, a mission statement is a description of what
an organization wants to accomplish in business.
Personal mission statement is brief explanations of what one wants to achieve in his life. It is
a declaration of an individual’s purpose and path in life, emphasizing what is truly important
to him or her. It lays out core values, expectations, pledge to other people, and measurement
of success. One can use a personal mission statement to outline his goals, find actionable ways
to apply his skills and set specific tasks that help one reach his goals. It is also possible to have
multiple personal mission statements that each focus on a different element of personal or
professional development. Each statement should complement the others and provide a well-
rounded development strategy. A personal mission statement helps an individual identify
values, commit to goals, and puts on a path to success (Cydcor.com, 2017). Covey (1989)
argued that individuals should have mission statements because having a mission statement
helps focus what you want your character to be and what you want to contribute to society. In
Covey's mind, writing a mission statement may be the most critical activity in taking control
of one's own life.
Benefits of Having a Personal Mission Statement
There are many benefits to creating a mission statement to help you reach your goals
(Cydcor.com, 2017):
1. Defines who you are and what you want: For some people, this can be the hardest
step of all. Writing your mission statement forces you to dig deep and really think about what
matters most to you.
2. Prioritizes for the big picture: We all may hope to achieve a variety of things, but a
personal mission statement can help you put those things in perspective and decide which are
most important.

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 3. Builds confidence: Having a mission statement can help you feel more confident,
because you know that everything you’re doing is getting you closer to a goal that truly
matters to you.
4. Creates focus: Many successful people write their mission statements down and look
at them every morning before they start their day. Try it to stay focused on your goal, helping
you go through your day with purpose and drive.
5. Keeps you motivated: A personal mission statement can act as a reminder that,
eventually, all your hard work will pay off. Reflecting on the end goal can help you put in that
extra effort daily and give you the endurance you need to overcome any roadblocks that come
your way.
6. Simplifies decision-making: When faced with a choice between two opportunities,
choose the one that helps you get closer to your goal.
7. Helps you stay on track: A personal mission statement is a great way to spot your own
weaknesses or areas that need improvement, because as a concrete statement of your values, it
will be obvious when your own actions fall short of the standards you have set
8. Holds you accountable: Having a personal statement and reflecting on it regularly is a
great way to make sure you are continuously taking actions to reach your goals.
Steps of Write a Personal Mission Statement
Scott (2020) suggested following eight-step process of Write a Personal Mission Statement.
Step 1: Look at other people's lives: Think about someone you admire and the qualities they
possess that lead to your admiration. Write down any characteristics of this person that you
hold in high regard, whether that has to do with their character, their achievements, or just their
personality.
Step 2: Determine your ideal self: Think about the person that you want to be in all of the
areas of your life. Your ideal self should be a reflection of your core values and desired
purpose. Think about yourself as being a friend, a spouse, an employee, a leader, and any other
roles you consider yourself to live in.
The value you create + who you’re creating it for + the expected outcome = Personal
Mission Statement
This may be time-consuming, but it will help you clarify your objectives and remind you
of your capabilities.
Step 3: What do you want your legacy to be?: Make a list of all of your roles, and write
down how you would want to be remembered in each of them. How do you want to be
remembered as a parent, a friend, or an employee?
For example, you may want your family to say, “He was an honest man who was
generous and inspiring to others, and a respected member of our community.”
It might feel uncomfortable to do this, but you don't need to share what you write with
anyone else. Doing this exercise will help you concisely describe how you want others to see
you.

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Step 4: Find your purpose: Write down your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual
purposes. Consider the principal ways you want to express yourself in these four basic areas.
Look at yourself as being the CEO in each of these parts of your life.
For example, when considering your emotional life, your purpose may be to learn to
cope with your feelings and find the silver lining in any losses that come your way. If this is the
case, you have to find resources that will help you meet this goal.
Step 5: Define your abilities: What are your natural talents? Your mission statement
should highlight your aptitudes and strengths because these are the things that give you joy and
energy. When we spend time doing things that we do well and enjoy, we give our lives
meaning and enthusiasm.
Make a list of all your talents, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem. Then
pick out the skills that you enjoy doing the most and focus on these. What do you want your
legacy to be? How do you want to be remembered as a parent, a friend, or an employee?
Step 6: Define your specific goals: Considering what you have come up with so far,
what are your SMART goals? SMART goals are goals that are specific, measurable,
achievable, relevant, and time-bound.The advantage of SMART goals is that they are simple to
understand, and it is easy to tell when they are complete. These goals should encompass the
outcomes that you want to achieve in your life.
Step 7: Draft your mission statement: Keep your mission statement simple and
concise. It can range from a few sentences to a few paragraphs. You can start with a long
statement and then narrow it down if that makes it easier.
You want to end up with a statement that will guide you in your daily actions, decisions,
and long-term goals. Write in a positive tone, focusing on what you want instead of what you
don't want.
Step 8: Refine it: Take some time to alter your mission statement until you feel really
comfortable with it. You want it to be a good representation of your core values and life's
purpose.

Chapter 5
Goal of Life

A goal is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan
and commit to achieve (Locke, and Gary, 1990). Goals are the first step towards planning for
the future, and play a fundamental role in the development of skills in various facets of life,
from work to relationships and everything in between. People endeavour to reach goals within
a finite time by setting deadlines. In the words of Pablo Picasso: Our goals can only be
reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we
must vigorously act. There is no other route to success. Understanding the importance of goals
and the techniques involved in setting achievable goals paves the way for success.

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Characteristics of Goal
Certain characteristics of a goal help define the goal and determine an individual's motivation
to achieve that goal. The characteristics of a goal make it possible to determine what motivates
people to achieve a goal, and, along with other personal characteristics, may predict goal
achievement (Deckers, 2018).
• Importance is determined by a goal's attractiveness, intensity, relevance, priority, and
sign. Importance can range from high to low.
• Difficulty is determined by general estimates of probability of achieving the goal.
• Specificity is determined if the goal is qualitative and ranges from being vaguely to
precisely stated. Typically, a higher-level goal is more vague than a lower level
subgoal; for example, wanting to have a successful career is more vague than wanting
to obtain a master's degree.
• Temporal range is determined by the range from proximal (immediate) to distal
(delayed) and the duration of the goal.
• Level of consciousness refers to a person's cognitive awareness of a goal. Awareness is
typically greater for proximal goals than distal goals.
• Complexity of a goal is determined by how many subgoals are necessary to achieve
the goal and how one goal connects to another. For example, graduating college could
be considered a complex goal because it has many subgoals, such as making good
grades, and is connected to other goals, such as gaining meaningful employment.
Key Principles of Goal Setting
Initial theoretical statements regarding goal setting were made to determine how levels of
intended achievement related to the actual levels of achievement (Locke, 1990). The goal-
setting framework developed further provision that when an individual has specific goals to
meet, their performance is more pronounced than in the absence of specifics.
That is, setting clearly defined goals leads to better performance.
Based on theory of goal setting and task performance Locke and Latham (1990) suggested five
key principles for successful goal achievement.
1. Commitment: Commitment refers to the degree to which an individual is attached to
the goal and their determination to reach it – even when faced with obstacles.
According to Locke and Latham (1990), goal performance is strongest when people are
committed, and even more so when said goals are difficult. Given the commitment to a
goal, if an individual discovers their performance is below that which is required, they
are likely to increase their effort or change their strategy in order to attain it (Latham
and Locke, 2006).
2. Clarity: Specific goals put you on a direct course. When a goal is vague, it has limited
motivational value. Research by Arvey, Dewhirst and Boling (1976) indicated that goal
clarity was positively related to overall motivation and satisfaction in the workplace.
Set clear, precise and unambiguous goals that are implicit and can be measured.
When a goal is clear in your mind, you have an improved understanding of the task at
hand. You know exactly what is required and the resulting success is a further source of
motivation.

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 3. Challenging: Goals must be challenging yet attainable. Challenging goals can improve
performance through increased self-satisfaction, and the motivation to find suitable
strategies to push our skills to the limit (Locke and Latham, 1990). Conversely, goals
that are not within our ability level will not be achieved, leading to feelings of
dissatisfaction and frustration.
4. Task Complexity: Miner (2005) suggested that overly complex tasks introduce
demands that may mute goal-setting effects. Overly complex goals that lie out of our
skill level may become overwhelming and negatively impact morale, productivity, and
motivation.
5. Feedback: Goal setting is more effective in the presence of immediate feedback (Erez,
1977). Feedback, including internal feedback, helps to determine the degree to which a
goal is being met and how you are progressing.
Unambiguous feedback ensures that action can be taken if necessary. If
performance falls below the standard required to achieve a goal, feedback allows us to
reflect upon our ability and set new, more attainable, goals. When such feedback is
delayed, we cannot evaluate the effectiveness of our strategies promptly, leading to a
potential reduction in the rate of progress (Zimmerman, 2008).
Goal Setting
Edwin A. Locke and Gary P. Latham, the fathers of goal-setting theory, provided a
comprehensive review of the core findings of the goal-setting theory and summarized that
specific, difficult goals lead to higher performance than either easy goals or instructions to "do
your best", as long as feedback about progress is provided, the person is committed to the goal,
and the person has the ability and knowledge to perform the task (Stajkovic,2006). According
to Locke and Latham, goals affect performance in the following ways (Locke, 2002):
1. Goals direct attention and effort toward goal-relevant activities,
2. Difficult goals lead to greater effort,
3. Goals increase persistence, with difficult goals prolonging effort, and
4. Goals indirectly lead to arousal, and to discovery and use of task-relevant knowledge
and strategies.
A positive relationship between goals and performance depends on several factors.
First, the goal must be considered important and the individual must be committed.
Participative goal setting can help increase performance, but participation itself does not
directly improve performance (Locke, 2002). Self-efficacy also enhances goal commitment.
For goals to be effective, people need feedback that details their progress in relation to their
goal (Locke et al., 2002).
Some coaches recommend establishing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and
time-bounded (SMART) objectives, but not all researchers agree that these SMART criteria are
necessary (Grant, 2012). The SMART framework does not include goal difficulty as a
criterion; in the goal-setting theory of Locke and Latham, it is recommended to choose goals
within the 90thpercentile of difficulty, based on the average prior performance of those that
have performed the task (Locke et al., 2002).
Goals can be long-term, intermediate, or short-term. The primary difference is the time
required to achieve them. Short-term goals expect to be finished in a relatively short period of
time, long-term goals in a long period of time, and intermediate in a medium period of time.
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Skills Required for Successful Goal Setting
Houston (2020) suggested some essential skills required for successful goal setting and
achievement. These skills can be learned and developed through practice.
1. Planning: The old adage ‘fail to plan, plan to fail’ is applicable to successful goal
achievement. Low-quality planning negatively affects performance in relation to goals
(Smith, Locke and Barry, 1990). Planning and organizational skills are integral to the
goal achievement process. Through proper planning, we can prioritize and maintain
focus on the task at hand, while avoiding extraneous distractions that can draw us away
from the end goal.
2. Self-Motivation: Without the desire to achieve, our attempts at goal setting are
doomed to fail. Motivation to achieve a goal encourages us to develop new techniques
and skills in order to succeed (Locke, 2001). In more challenging circumstances, the
motivation to keep going is a powerful contributor to goal attainment.
3. Time Management: Time management is a useful skill across many facets of life
including goal setting. While setting goals are commonly considered to be a specific
time management behaviour (Macan, Shahani, Dipboye, and Phillips, 1990), time
management is also required in order to successfully accomplish a goal. If we do not
properly consider the timescale required to attain a goal, we will inevitably fail.
Additionally, the time we allocate to planning our goals directly impacts task
performance – the more time spent on the planning stage, the more likely we are to
succeed (Smith, Locke, and Barry, 1990).
4. Flexibility: Inevitably, at some point, things aren’t going to go as planned. Having the
flexibility to adapt to barriers, the perseverance to sustain your efforts and to carry on
in the face of adversity is essential to reaching your goal.
5. Self-regulation: An individual needs to regulate and manage their own emotions in
order to promote their own personal and social goals.
6. Commitment and Focus: If we are not committed to our goals, goal setting will not
work (Locke, 2001). It is imperative that goals are important and relevant on a personal
level, and that we know we are capable of attaining, or at the very least making
substantial progress towards, a goal.
Process of Accomplishing Goal of Life

Following Tracey L. Rogers (2020), process of accomplishing goal of life discussed below:

A. Setting Goals
1. Decide what you want: Your first step is to determine what it is you want to achieve.
This can be a big change or small one, but taking some time to think about what you
hope to achieve is an important first step to success.
2. Define your terms: Once you have a general sense of what you want, you need to start
thinking about what these goals mean to you. One person's definition of a goal can be
very different from another's. For example, if your goal is to be happier, you need to
think about what happiness means to you. What does a happy life look like? What
types of things will make you happy? This applies to less overreaching goals as well. If
your goal is to learn to play guitar, what does that mean exactly to you? Will you be
satisfied with knowing a few chords so people can sing along with you at parties? Or

17
 are you striving to be a classical concert guitarist? These are very different definitions
of knowing how to play the guitar.
3. Ask why: It's important to take a little time to think about why you are setting the goals
you've chosen. If you think about your motivations, you may find that you end up
wanting to revise your goals. For example, imagine your goal is to learn to play the
guitar. You stop and think about why, and you realize that it's because you think people
who play the guitar are popular at school. This doesn't really suggest dedication to the
guitar. It might be a good reason to stop and ask yourself if there's another, easier way
to get what you really want, which is more social than musical.
4. Determine if it's possible: Last but not least, you need to decide if your goal is
realistic. If your goal seems beyond the realm of possibility, it might be time to make a
different goal.

B. Making a Plan
1. Brainstorm in writing: Once you've set a general goal, you need to start getting more
specific and making a plan to reach it. A great first step is to do some freewriting. Get
some paper and write down some thoughts about the following topics:
• Your ideal future
• Qualities you admire in others
• Things that could be done better • Things you want to learn more about
• Habits you want to improve.
This step is meant to help you fantasize and imagine many possibilities. After a few
of these possibilities are out on paper, you can determine which ones are most important to
you.
2. Get specific: Once you've thought about some goals and brainstormed a bit, its time to
start getting more specific. Use your notes from the brainstorming session and your
definitions from the previous section. Write down some specific things you would like to
achieve or do.
• A vague goal like, “I want to play better, so I will do my best,” is not as effective as a
goal like “I want to be able to play my favorite song in six months." Poorly defined end
goals or vague “do-your-best” goals are not as effective as specific goals.
• Move beyond general goals like "I want to become rich" and focus on specific
achievements that will get results. Instead of "I want to become rich," your goal could
be "I want to master investing in the stock market." Instead of "I want to play the
guitar," your goal could be something like "I want to play lead guitar in a rock band."
• It's a good idea to do some more writing here, trying to describe your goals in as much
detail as possible.
3. Consider using the SMART method: One way to specify and evaluate your goals is to
use the SMART method. This is an approach to goal setting in which you refine your
goals by assessing whether they are:
• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant and
• Time-bounded

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 4. Rank your goals: Many people have several goals. In fact, in your free-writing, you may
have discovered that you yourself are already hoping to achieve more than one goal. If
this is the case, it's a good idea to try to rank them in order of importance.
• Ranking your goals will help you focus on those that are the most meaningful to you.
• For example, you might want to earn a PhD in astrophysics, learn to play classical
guitar, read the complete works of Tolstoy, and run a marathon. Trying to do all of
these things at once is probably not realistic. Deciding which goals are most important
can help you plan for the long and short term.
• Part of this process is assessing your level of commitment to each goal. A difficult or
long-term goal that you aren't highly committed to is one you are unlikely to achieve. If
you only sort of want a PhD in astrophysics, you probably shouldn't make that a
priority in life.
5. Envision the impacts: Spend some time thinking about how each of these goals will
affect your life. This will help you determine the benefits of striving for each of your
goals.
• Thinking in these terms will also help you visualize the process of striving for these
goals. This can help boost your motivation.
6. Create subgoals: Most goals are more achievable if broken down into smaller tasks.
These smaller tasks are subgoals--little goals that add up to the main goal you hope to
achieve.
• For example, if you want to learn to play guitar, your first sub-goal might be to get
a guitar. Your next might be to sign up for lessons. Next, you will want to learn the
most basic chords and scales, and so on.
• Creating a schedule for these subgoals can help you stay focused and keep you on
track. In the example above, you might aim to have enough money to buy a guitar
in three months. You might plan sign up for lessons a week after that, learn the
basic chords in another two months, and so forth.
7. Identify obstacles: Last but not least, think about what obstacles could stand in the way
of achieving your goals. Thinking about this in advance gives you a chance to come up
with some ideas about how you will overcome those obstacles.
• For example, you might find that guitar lessons are more costly than you can afford
right now. This could lead you to think about ways to get more money for lessons.
Or, you might consider the possibility of teaching yourself using instructional
books or videos.

C. Following Through
1. Dedicate your time: There are many things you can do to help make the process easier
and keep yourself focused. At the end of the day though, most goals are achieved by
putting a lot of time and hard work into making them a reality.
• Think about how long you expect it to take to achieve your goal, and when you
want it to be completed. For example, imagine you expect you'll need 40 hours of
work to master the basics of playing guitar and you want learn it in a month. You'll
need to spend a little over an hour on this every day.
• There's no way to get around putting in the time. If you are truly committed to your
goal, it is what you must do.

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2. Make it a routine: One way to make putting in the time easier is to build your efforts
into a daily routine. Schedule time to work on your goals into every day.
3. Track your progress: Once you start working toward your goal, keep track of your
progress. Keep a journal, use an app, or get a desk calendar and make a note of time
that you put in, subgoals you've achieved, etc.
4. Stay motivated: One of the hardest parts of following through on a goal, especially in
the long term, is staying motivated. Making achievable subgoals and tracking your
progress can both help. But, you may need to add some additional reinforcement.

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 Chapter 6
Principles of Life

A principle is a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a

system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning. Usually principles guide our
behaviour. In law, it is a rule that has to be or usually is to be followed, or can be desirably
followed, or is an inevitable consequence of something, such as the laws observed in nature
or the way that a system is constructed. The principles of such a system are understood by its
users as the essential characteristics of the system, or reflecting system's designed purpose,
and the effective operation or use of which would be impossible if any one of the principles
was to be ignored (Alpa,1994).
Importance of Principles
Life is full of many activities and influences that can either mislead a person or even
shape their behaviour to the best. Therefore, in order to survive this, it is important for a
person to have principles so that they can guide them into making the right choices.
Principles play different roles in the life of a person.
Principles help an individual during the decision-making process. This happens in the
event whereby the individual is in a dilemma of choosing ideas that have a close relationship.
In such a case, a person can decide to choose the idea that makes more sense in life as
compared to the other one. As a result, this makes it for individuals to make sound decisions
without having to go through much stress. Hence, it is important for every individual to
respect their principles and act according to them.
As well, principles help individuals in understanding the world around them and the
reason as to why things happen the way they do. As a result, this brings about highly
intelligent individuals who are able to make sound decisions. In the case of an individual
who doesn’t have principles, then it would be difficult for them to understand various life
issues in the current world. It is, therefore, important for every individual to set their own
principles so that they can be able to understand the world. Having done so, then it means
that a person can fit in the world well because they are able to differentiate between that
which is good or bad.
Principles guide a person into doing what is good and beneficial in their life.
Principles enlighten individuals hence making them more open-minded about life as
compared to people who lack principles. It is the idea of having an open mind that enables a
person to handle any difficult situations that come their way.
Concisely, principles are an important part of an individual’s life because they help a
person discover themselves by choosing what’s good. This brings about the idea of earning
respect from friends because principles help a lot in shaping the behaviour of an individual.

Principles to Attain the Success

There are key principles that Albrecht (2013)find especially helpful, and which he believes can
serve as a foundation for successful living.

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1. The Principle of Gratitude: The definition of gratitude is a feeling of being thankful
and appreciative. Gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater
happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences,
improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. People feel
and express gratitude in multiple ways. They can apply it to the past (retrieving positive
memories and being thankful for elements of childhood or past blessings), the present
(not taking good fortune for granted as it comes), and the future (maintaining a hopeful
and optimistic attitude). Regardless of the inherent or current level of someone's
gratitude, it's a quality that individuals can successfully cultivate further.
2. The Principle of Humility: Humility is the quality of being humble, freedom from
pride or arrogance. Humility means putting the needs of another person before your
own, and thinking of others before yourself. It also means not drawing attention to
yourself, and it can mean acknowledging that you are not always right. Humility is an
asset for self-improvement. By living a humble life, we recognize the areas of our life
that need work.
3. The Principle of Optimism: Optimism is a mental attitude reflecting a belief or hope
that the outcome of some specific endeavor, or outcomes in general, will be positive,
favorable, and desirable. Optimists are likely to see the causes of failure or negative
experiences as temporary rather than permanent, specific rather than global, and
external rather than internal. Such a perspective enables optimists to more easily see the
possibility of change. Optimists have healthier outlooks and tend to live longer than
their more pessimistic counterparts. However, an unrealistic belief that a person’s
future will be full of only positive events can lead them to take unnecessary risks,
particularly with their health and finances.
4. The Principle of Generosity: Generosity is the quality of being willing to share.
Being generous also makes us feel better about ourselves. Generosity is both a natural
confidence builder and a natural repellant of self-hatred. By focusing on what we are
giving rather than on what we are receiving, we create a more outward orientation
toward the world, which shifts our focus away from ourselves. generosity reduce stress,
support one’s physical health, enhance one’s sense of purpose, and naturally fight
depression. Generosity also promotes a social connection and improves relationships.
5. The Principle of Forgiveness: Forgiveness is the release of resentment or anger. It
propels people forward rather than keeping them emotionally engaged in an injustice or
trauma. Forgiveness has been shown to elevate mood, enhance optimism, and guard
against anger, stress, anxiety, and depression. Forgiveness frees us to live in the present.
Reliving the wrong that was done to us keeps us living in the past and missing today’s
beauty. Forgiveness allows us to move on without anger or contempt.
6. The Principle of Intention: An intention is idea that we plan (or intend) to carry out.
The principle of intention means realizing that choosing something as a focus of our
energy means not choosing lots of other things. A well-formed statement of intent can
help us focus our attention and energy on the things that really count in our life.
7. The Principle of Expectation: Expectation is defined as believing that something is
going to happen or believing that something should be a certain way. Success in most
fields of endeavour depends on an ability to visualise success. The ability to visualise

22
success and an accompanying belief that success is possible appear to be prerequisites
for most forms of human achievement. Expectations are things we wish and desire to
have though not very certain to us but our faith and hope keeps the expectations high.
Living in expectation gives you a positive mindset. It’s is also important to live
expectantly because it reminds us of what is expected of us. If we expect good to be
done to us then we should try to do the good that is equally expected of us.

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 Chapter 7
Philosophy of Life

The term philosophy cannot be defined precisely because the subject is so complex and
so controversial. Different philosophers have different views of the nature, methods, and range
of philosophy. There are at least two senses in which the term philosophy is used: a formal and
an informal sense. In the formal sense, philosophy is an academic study of the fields of
aesthetics, ethics, epistemology, logic, metaphysics, as well as social and political philosophy.
One's "philosophy of life" is philosophy in the informal sense, as a personal philosophy, whose
focus is resolving the existential questions about the human condition (Fetler, 1968). The term
also refers to a specific conception of philosophizing as a way of life.
The term philosophy itself comes from the Greek philosophia, which means love of
wisdom. Traditionally, the term "philosophy" referred to any body of knowledge. Essentially
philosophy is a view of life and its various components. It is the study of general and
fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language
(Sellars, 1963).
Importance of Philosophy
Philosophic thought is an inescapable part of human existence. Almost everyone has
been confused from time to time by such essentially philosophic questions as "What does life
mean?" "Did I have any existence before I was born?" and "Is there life after death?" Most
people also have some kind of philosophy in the sense of a personal outlook on life. Even a
person who claims that considering philosophic questions is a waste of time is expressing what
is important, worthwhile, or valuable. A rejection of all philosophy is in itself philosophy.
By studying philosophy, people can clarify what they believe, and they can be
stimulated to think about ultimate questions. A person can study philosophers of the past to
discover why they thought as they did and what value their thoughts may have in one's own
life.
Philosophy has had enormous influence on our everyday lives. The very language we
speak uses classifications derived from philosophy. For example, the classifications of noun
and verb involve the philosophic idea that there is a difference between things and actions. If
we ask what the difference is, we are starting a philosophic inquiry.
Every institution of society is based on philosophic ideas, whether that institution is the
law, government, religion, the family, marriage, industry, business, or education. Philosophic
differences have led to the overthrow of governments, drastic changes in laws, and the
transformation of entire economic systems. Such changes have occurred because the people
involved held certain beliefs about what is important, true, real, and significant and about how
life should be ordered.
Systems of education follow a society's philosophic ideas about what children should be taught
and for what purposes. Democratic societies stress that people learn to think and make choices
for themselves. Non-democratic societies discourage such activities and want their citizens to
surrender their own interests to those of the state. The values and skills taught by the
educational system of a society thus reflect the society's philosophic ideas of what is important.

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 The aim of philosophy is right living. Genuine, real philosophy, worth its name, is
expected to enable one to live the truest life possible, - a life of wisdom, free from the
imperfections by which ordinary unphilosophical life is characterised. Philosophy is, therefore,
the great art of the perfect life, a life where the common notion of it is transcended, and the
Supreme Being, which is identical with existence itself, is realised. The Branches of
Philosophy
Philosophy is divided into five branches, each organized around certain distinctive questions.
The branches are (1) metaphysics, (2) epistemology, (3) logic, (4) ethics, and (5) aesthetics.
1. Metaphysics: Metaphysics is the study of the fundamental nature of reality and
existence and of the essences of things. Metaphysics is itself often divided into two
areas-ontology and cosmology. Ontology is the study of being. Cosmology is the study
of the physical universe, or the cosmos, taken as a whole. Cosmology is also the name
of the branch of science that studies the organization, history, and future of the
universe.
2. Epistemology: Epistemology aims to determine the nature, basis, and extent of
knowledge. It explores the various ways of knowing, the nature of truth, and the
relationships between knowledge and belief. Epistemology asks such questions as
"What are the features of genuine knowledge as distinct from what appears to be
knowledge?" "What is truth, and how can we know what is true and what is false?" and
"Are there different kinds of knowledge, with different grounds and characteristics?"
3. Logic: Logic is the study of the principles and methods of reasoning. It explores how
we distinguish between good reasoning and bad reasoning. An instance of reasoning is
called an argument or an inference. An argument consists of a set of statements called
premises together with a statement called the conclusion, which is supposed to be
supported by or derived from the premises. A good argument provides support for its
conclusion, and a bad argument does not. Two basic types of reasoning are called
deductive and inductive.
4. Ethics: Ethics concerns human conduct, character, and values. It studies the nature of
right and wrong and the distinction between good and evil. Ethics explores the nature
of justice and of a just society, and also one's obligations to oneself, to others, and to
society.
5. Aesthetics: Aesthetics deals with the creation and principles of art and beauty. It also
studies our thoughts, feelings, and attitudes when we see, hear, or read something
beautiful. Something beautiful may be a work of art, such as a painting, symphony, or
poem, or it may be a sunset or other natural phenomenon. In addition, aesthetics
investigates the experience of engaging in such activities as painting, dancing, acting,
and playing.
Philosophy of Life
Dictionary meaning of philosophy of life, any philosophical view or vision of the nature or
purpose of life or of the way that life should be lived. Philosophy of life is an overall vision of
or attitude toward life and the purpose of life. According to Anderson (2016), philosophy of
life as a mental framework for understanding how the world works and how you fit into the
world. The philosophy of life would include things like how you decide what is “good” and
“bad”, what “success” means, what your “purpose” in life is (including if you don’t think
there is a purpose), whether there is a God, how we should treat each other, etc. Everybody

25
has his/her own philosophy of life. One’s philosophy of life may not remain constant
throughout the life. If a person continues to think on and feeds his/her mind on issues
affecting life, he/she keeps on refining his/her philosophy of life.
Parameters of Philosophy of Life
Young (2007)believe that all good life philosophies have four basic parameters:
1. Survival: Except in rare circumstances, most good philosophies will fulfill your basic
needs. This usually isn’t a big concern since most of us are living well beyond the
minimum threshold required to simply survive.
2. Happiness: Good life philosophies should make you feel good. Great philosophies
will keep you happy even in troubling circumstances.
3. Meaning: Happiness can rarely exist without meaning. Good philosophies should
make you feel useful and valuable, otherwise when pleasurable moments fade you are
left with nothing.
4. Independence of Circumstance: Your life philosophy needs to apply in all situations
and circumstances. Your strategy for deriving meaning and happiness should last even
after a breakup, death of a relative or unemployment.
Steps for Developing a Meaningful Life Philosophy
Everyone has a philosophy on life, whether they realize it or not. The process of refining this
philosophy is like building a ship. It will carry you in rough times and allow you to float
easily during the pleasant moments. Following Young (2007), steps for developing a
meaningful life philosophy are:
1. Introspection: A life philosophy cannot be outsourced. Thinking about your beliefs
and strategies is the only real way to do that.
2. Study other philosophies: Gather philosophies from other people and books. Explore
philosophies that only fit within your current expectations.
3. Focus on the answerable: Philosophy should be practical. This means focusing less on
the unanswerable questions that just lead you in circles.
4. Don’t commit: Building a philosophy is an ongoing process of refinement, not an end
result. One should don’t ever expect to find a final answer, just increasingly better ones.
Always be open to new understandings.
5. Seek references: Experience can shape our strategy on life. We should aim to find as
many broad experiences as possible so we can use them as points of reference when
developing a life philosophy.
6. Connect with others: Discuss your philosophy and find the philosophy of other
people. Find completely different philosophies on life from you own and each is a
valuable source of new ideas.
7. Experiment: Philosophies need to be practical. They should affect how you think and
what you do. Experiment with different approaches and see which connects best with
the four criteria mentioned above.
8. Collect new functions: Lenses and metaphors are an important component of a
strategy for living.
9. Hold conflicting ideas: It was Aristotle who said, “it is the mark of an educated mind
to hold two conflicting ideas in his head without accepting either.”

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10. Be patient: The process of refining a life philosophy will take decades, perhaps entire
life. There are no final answers, just slightly optimized ones.

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 Chapter 8 Self-
Awareness

Self-Awareness is having a clear perception of your personality, including strengths,

weaknesses, thoughts, beliefs, motivation, and emotions. Self-Awareness allows you to
understand other people, how they perceive you, your attitude and your responses to them in
the moment. Having awareness creates the opportunity to make changes in behaviour and
beliefs. Self-awareness is a critical tool to help you reach higher levels of job satisfaction,
become a better leader, improve relationships with colleagues, and manage your emotions
better. It’s also positively correlated with higher levels of overall happiness. Self-awareness is
not a fixed trait. It can be practiced and cultivated.
If you begin to consciously practice self-awareness, you can evaluate how your values,
passions, and goals fit into your current environment and emotions and how to align them
better. You can also understand how other people view you, creating stronger, more authentic
relationships with colleagues. Self-awareness will help you become a happier and more
productive employee and leader, and can help you align your current life with your passions.
A simple quick assessment of self-awareness might be:
Basic – Aware of your thoughts while you have them.
Medium – Aware of the thoughts and emotions you have about your thoughts in the moment.
High – Able to put attention on your emotions, and physical state in a way to relax and thereby
change your thought process in the moment.
Benefits of self-awareness
1. Improve skills by recognizing what you do well and what you need to improve
2. Raise happiness levels by aligning your ideals with your actions
3. Become a better leader by understanding how employees perceive your behaviour
4. Strengthen work and personal relationships by managing emotions
5. Increase work motivation by seeking out your true passions
6. Decrease stress by identifying emotions and lessening tasks you don’t enjoy Type of
Self-Awareness
Tasha Eurich (2018), a researcher and organizational psychologist, and her team of researchers
came up with two categories of self-awareness, which are important to note: internal self-
awareness, and external self-awareness.
• Internal self-awareness: It is how clearly you see your values, passions, and
aspirations, and how well those standards fit with your environment and your reactions
(which include thoughts, feelings, behaviours, strengths, and weaknesses).
• External self-awareness: on the other hand, is the ability to clearly see how other
people view you. People who know how others see them are typically more empathetic.

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Developmental Stages
According to Emory University's Philippe Rochat (2001), there are five levels of selfawareness
which unfold in early development and six potential prospects ranging from "Level 0" (having
no self-awareness) advancing complexity to "Level 5" (explicit selfawareness).
1. Level 0: Confusion - At this level the individual has a degree of zero selfawareness.
This person is unaware of any mirror reflection or the mirror itself. They perceive the
mirror as an extension of their environment. Level 0 can also be displayed when an
adult frightens himself in a mirror mistaking his own reflection as another person just
for a second.
2. Level 1: Differentiation -The individual realizes the mirror is able to reflect things.
They see that what is in the mirror is different from what is surrounding them. At this
level they can differentiate between their own movement in the mirror and the
movement of the surrounding environment.
3. Level 2: Situation - At this point an individual can link the movements on the mirror
to what is perceived within their own body. This is the first hint of selfexploration on a
projected surface where what is visualized on the mirror is special to the self.
4. Level 3: Identification - This stage is characterized by the new ability to identify self:
an individual can now see that what's in the mirror is not another person but actually
him/herself. It is seen when a child, instead of referring to the mirror while referring to
him/herself, refers to him/herself while looking in the mirror.
5. Level 4: Permanence - Once an individual reaches this level, they can identify the self
beyond the present mirror imagery. They are able to identify the self in previous
pictures looking different or younger. A "permanent self" is now experienced.
6. Level 5: Self-consciousness or "meta" self-awareness - At this level not only is the
self seen from a first person view but it realized that it's also seen from a third person's
view. They begin to understand they can be in the mind of others.
For instance, how they are seen from a public standpoint.
Ways to Improve Self-Awareness
According Forsey (2018), there are dozens of ways to improve and cultivate selfawareness, but
here are four of the biggest to start off.
1. Ask “What?” instead of “Why?”: When people assess their current state, emotions,
and environment, they all too often ask, “Why?” Like, “Why am I feeling so sad? Why
did my boss give me that feedback? Why isn’t my project going the way I’d hoped?”
Research has also found people who are introspective are more likely to
ruminate on negative thoughts when evaluating the self. Self-evaluation through
“Why” questions could leave you feeling depressed and anxious, while being entirely
unproductive.
Rather than asking “Why,” highly self-aware people ask, “What?” “What”
questions are more productive, and focuses on objectives and future goals, rather than
past mistakes.

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2. Spend Time with Yourself: It’s not easy to reflect on yourself when you’ve got the TV
blaring, you’re out to dinner with friends, or you’re glued to your phone. Give yourself
the space and time necessary to self-reflect, by avoiding distractions. Try spending time
reading, writing, meditating, or practicing other solo activities to connect with yourself.
Try to give yourself quiet, distractionfree time.
3. Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness allows you to be present with yourself and
observe your thoughts in a non-judgmental way. What better way to become self-aware
than focusing, non-judgmentally, on you? Mindfulness forces you to focus on yourself
on purpose, in the present moment. Next time you’re feeling frustrated at work, use
mindfulness to check-in with yourself: what thoughts are going through your mind?
How are you feeling? Simply being present enough to acknowledge your thoughts,
feelings, and emotions, will help you become more acquainted and better at
recognizing them properly within yourself.
4. Become a Better Listener, and Ask for Feedback: Listening to others and yourself is
critical to becoming self-aware. When you learn how to listen to your friends,
colleagues, and managers without evaluating or judging them, you’ll become more
empathetic and understand people better. Listening to the important people in your life
should give you a true sense of how they perceive you. You can translate those listening
skills to yourself, too, and become better at understanding your own thoughts and
emotions. Additionally, it's important to ask for feedback from the people you work
with, or lead.

Chapter 9
Self-Satisfaction

Self-satisfaction is very important for a tension-free life. If a person strives for

excellence and keeps on competing with others, he is prone to taking up more and more
stress and finally this might result in failures instead of excelling. So, if a person is
satisfied with his work / activity and that too if he does his work with honesty and sincerity,
then he can relatively get much happiness in life and thus he can lead a healthy and stress-
free life. On the other hand, if a person is never ever satisfied with what he does, he will be
prone to continuous stress in his life and finally he might end up with failure which in turn
results in several health problems.

Self-Satisfaction is defined as the happiness that is derived from positive and good
feelings about oneself and life (Ryff, 1989). This satisfaction is obtained from their
meaningful work and personal goals fulfilment. When people feel happy about themselves
and believe they have gotten in life what they aimed tend to be happier than others, and this
has positive impact on the way they choose to live, deal with people and even work. In
addition, Donovan and Halpern (2002) found that people, who are satisfied, are more open
and artistic which implies they are more imaginative and creative when it comes to their
way of thinking, which can make them better manage their work life. Simply, Self-
Satisfaction is a feeling of being very pleased or satisfied with oneself and what one has
done.

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 Things that Make Life More Satisfying
Being satisfied and feeling fulfilled are what we all ultimately strive for. Happiness with
our lives is the very reason we do just about anything. To lead a satisfying life, take some
time to reflect on developing a positive attitude, interacting with others, and embracing
simplicity (Carmichael, 2020).
A. Developing a Positive Attitude
1. Practice daily gratitude: Write in a gratitude journal each day in order to
consistently recognize all of the great things that you have in your life. Whether you write
a whole page or just a sentence each day on what you feel grateful for, this activity may
help you feel satisfied by bringing all the positives of your life to light.
2. Be open to change: Those who change at least one of their viewpoints or
behaviours every few months are more likely to look to the future with hope and positivity.
These individuals also generally claim to be in a better mood most of the time. Keep in
mind that growth isn’t possible without change, and try to approach life’s changes with
open arms so that you can feel more satisfied overall.
3. Look at things from a new perspective: By attempting to look at seemingly
negative situations in a positive light, you can change your thought processes over time.
This may help you to feel more satisfied because you’re putting a positive filter on the
people, events, and situations in your life.
4. Recognize that having more doesn’t ensure happiness: Reflect on those who
you know that are wealthy and those who aren’t as fortunate. There are many people who
have less than you but still manage to have a positive outlook on life. There are also many
who have more than you and are dissatisfied. Keep this in mind when you think you have
to have more in order to be happy.
B. Interacting with Others
1. Invest in friendships: Studies have shown that having several close friendships
significantly increase people’s optimism and life satisfaction.Reach out to your friends and
invite them to things more often. Make a conscious effort to prioritize time with friends.
The closeness that may result in investing in your friendships may also come with
comforting support and fun experiences.
2. Accept loved ones for who they are: You may wish that your spouse would be
more organized or that your child would be more athletic. Try not to get too caught up in
what you wish was different about those who you love. This can cause strain on your
relationships and dissatisfaction. Instead, try your best to accept those who you love for
who they are.
3. Don’t compare yourself to others: Most of the people that you come in
contact with are on a different path or at a different stage of life than you are. Try to
celebrate others’ happiness, accomplishments, and good fortune instead of comparing them
to your own. This will lead to less bitterness and jealousy and more peace of mind.
4. Keep in mind that people often omit negativity on social media:When
scrolling through all of the happy faces and fun adventures posted on Facebook, Instagram,
and other social media sites, it’s easy to get jealous. Try to remember that everyone has
positive and negative experiences, even if you only see the good aspects of their lives on
social media.

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 5. Volunteer to serve others: Helping others can lift your spirits and give you a
sense of purpose. When you’re immersed in the hard work of day-to-day life, it can be hard
to see the point of everything you’re doing. Volunteering for those in need can often have a
more obvious impact. This sense of purpose can help you to feel more satisfied with your
life.
C. Embracing Simplicity
1. Incorporate non-material joys into your life: Start by making a list of all the
things you love that don’t require or involve money. Refer to this list often and try to
incorporate one or more things on the list into each day. Some things on your list might
include: love, laughter, faith, family, long walks, nature, and more.
2. Buy what you need and not what you want: Struggling financially can often
lead to unhappiness in life. While it’s often difficult to ever be in a position where money
isn’t a concern at all, you can lessen the stress by living within your means. Instead of just
buying whatever you want, think through every purchase and mostly only buy the things
that you need in order to survive comfortably.
3. Desire what you have: Instead of focusing on all of the things you don’t have,
try to focus on all of the things you do have.If you’re often wanting more than you possess,
you might never feel fulfilled because there are so many fancy, expensive material items
out there and you may never be able to buy all of them. Try to get enjoyment out of the
things you already own and use.

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 Chapter 10

Self-Exploration

Self exploration is the process to find out what is valuable to me by investigating within
myself, what is right for me, true for me, has to be judged within myself. Through self
exploration we get the value of our self. It is a process of focusing attention on our self, our
present beliefs and aspirations vis-à-vis what we really want to be (that is to say, what is
naturally acceptable to us). If these two are the same, then there is no problem. If on
investigation we find that these two are not the same, then it means we are living with this
contradiction (of not being what we really want to be) and hence, we need to resolve this
contradiction this conflict within us. It is a process of discovering that there is something
innate, invariant and universal in all human beings. This enables us to look at our confusions
and contradictions within and resolve them by becoming aware of our natural acceptance. We
live with different entirety (family, friends, air, soil, water, trees, etc.) and we want to
understand our relationship with all these. For this we need to start observing inside.
Content of Self-Exploration
Content of self exploration is just finding answers to the following fundamental questions of
all human beings:
1. The Desire/Goal: What is my (human) Desire/ Goal? What do I really want in life, or
what is the goal of human life?
2. Program: What is my (human) program for fulfilling the desire? How to fulfil it?
What is the program to actualize the above?
In short, the above two questions cover the whole domain of human aspirations and human
endeavor. Thus, they form the content of self- exploration. Purpose of Self-Exploration
1. It is a process of dialogue between “what you are” and “what you really want to
be”: It is a process of focusing attention on ourself, our present beliefs and aspirations vis-à-
vis what we really want to be (that is to say, what is naturally acceptable to us). If these two are
the same, then there is no problem. If on investigation we find that these two are not the same,
then it means we are living with this contradiction (of not being what we really want to be) and
hence, we need to resolve this contradiction this conflict within us. It is a process of
discovering that there is something innate, invariant and universal in all human beings. This
enables us to look at our confusions and contradictions within and resolve them by becoming
aware of our natural acceptance.
2. It is a process of self-evolution through self-investigation: It successively enables us
to evolve by bridging the gap between ‘what we are’ and ‘what to be’. Hence, the self-
exploration leads to our own improvement, our self-evolution – we will become qualitatively
better.
3. It is a process of knowing oneself and through that, knowing the entire existence:
The exploration starts by asking simple questions about ourself, which gives our clarity about
our being, and then clarity about everything around us.

33
4. It is a process of recognizing one’s relationship with every unit in existence and
fulfilling it: It is a process of becoming aware about our right relationship with other entities
in existence and through that discovering the interconnectedness, co-existence and other in the
entire existence, and living accordingly.
5. It is a process of knowing human conduct, human character and living
accordingly: It is a process of discovering the definitiveness of human conduct and human
character and enabling one to be definite in thought, behaviour and work.
6. It is a process of being in harmony in oneself and in harmony with entire
existence: This process of self-exploration helps us to be in harmony with ourself and with
everything around.
7. It is a process of identifying our innateness and moving towards self-organization
and self-expression: This process of self-exploration helps us to identify our Innateness and
through that acquiring self-organization and self-expression.
Mechanism of Self-Expression
This self-exploration will be done on the basis of whether the proposals (information) are
acceptable to us in a natural manner – i.e. they need to be naturally acceptable to us and not
just imposed externally. It also includes verifying the proposal through experiential validation,
i.e. by living according to them. Experiential validation will ascertain that when we live our
life on the basis of this education, our living will be fulfilling to us as well as our surroundings.
The two mechanism of self-exploration are:
1. Natural acceptance: Natural acceptance implies unconditional and total acceptance of the
self, people and environment. It also refers to the absence of any exception from others. Once
we fully and truly commit ourselves on the basis of natural acceptance, we feel a holistic sense
of inner harmony, tranquility and fulfillment. We can easily verify proposals in the basis of
characteristics of natural acceptance mentioned below:
a) Natural acceptance does not change with time. It remains invariant with time. For
example, our natural acceptance for trust and respect does not change with age.
b) It does not depend on the place. Whatever we have accepted, in our life, at any time
of our age, does not change, even if we move from one place to another one.
c) It does not depend on our beliefs or past conditionings. No matter how deep our
belief or past conditioning, as long as we ask ourselves the question sincerely, as long as we
refer deep within ourselves, the answer will always be the same.
d) This natural acceptance is ‘constantly there’, something we can refer to. Natural
acceptance is always there. Whatever we do, this natural acceptance is within us, it is telling us
what is right.
e) Natural acceptance is the same for all of us: it is part and parcel of every human
being, it is part of humanness. Though each one of us, may have different likes and dislikes
and means to live and to react etc. but if we go deep in our mind the purpose of our work,
behaviour, efforts etc. are based on common goals like need to be happy, need to be respected,
need to get prosperity. So, our basic acceptance remains the same.
2.Experiential validation: Experiential validation is a process that infuses direct experience
with the learning environment and content. It may be regarded as a philosophy and
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methodology in which the direct experience and focused reflection of the individual helps to
increase knowledge, develop skill and clarify values.

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 Chapter 11
Decision Making

Making decisions is a central part of any management role, a core element in

problem solving, and important in a range of other social and business
activities. Decisionmaking is the process of identifying and choosing
alternatives based on the values, preferences and beliefs of the decision-maker.
Every decision-making process produces a final choice, which may or may not
prompt action. Using a step-bystep decision-making process can help you make
more deliberate, thoughtful decisions by organizing relevant information and
defining alternatives. This approach increases the chances that you will choose
the most satisfying alternative possible. For effective decision making, a person
must be able to forecast the outcome of each option as well, and based on all
these items, determine which option is the best for that particular situation.
Elements of Decision
There are three elements to any decision, alternatives, preferences and information.
1. If there are no alternatives, there is no decision to make; one has an
issue that requires managing. Where there are alternatives, there has to be a
degree of uncertainty as to which alternative is best for a decision to be
required.
2. If a decision is required, personal preferences and values play a
significant part in the decision making process and our preferences are affected
by innate personal bias and the social context we are deciding within. Research
suggests that social rules play a significant determinant in how we make
decisions. Regardless of our own preferences, we internalize our environment,
the roles that we play within that environment and what expected behaviour
looks like within those roles. Sometimes the rules we respond to are formally
articulated. In many cases, they are informally established and simply reflect
the operating culture.
3. For every uncertainty there is information that has the potential to
reduce or remove it. Without information we make a decision and find out what
happens, with information we find out what will happen then decide what to
do.
Steps of the Decision Making Process
In general, the decision making process helps us solve problems by examining
alternative choices and deciding on the best route to take. Using a step-by-step
approach is an efficient way to make thoughtful, informed decisions that have a
positive impact on our short- and long-term goals. The decision making process
is commonly divided into seven steps. We may utilize many of these steps
without realizing it, but gaining a clearer understanding of best practices can
improve the effectiveness of our decisions. Step 1: Identify the decision: To
make a decision, first identify the problem that needs to solve. Try to clearly
define the nature of the decision you must make. This first step is very
important.

36
Step 2: Gather relevant information: Collect some pertinent information
before you make your decision: what information is needed, the best sources of
information, and how to get it. This step involves both internal and external
“work.” Some information is internal: you’ll seek it through a process of self-
assessment. Other information is external: you’ll find it online, in books, from
other people, and from other sources.
Step 3: Identify the alternatives: As you collect information, you will probably identify
several possible paths of action, or alternatives. You can also use your imagination and
additional information to construct new alternatives. In this step, you will list all possible
and desirable alternatives.
Step 4: Weigh the evidence: Draw on your information and emotions to imagine what it
would be like if you carried out each of the alternatives to the end. Evaluate whether the
need identified in Step 1 would be met or resolved through the use of each alternative. As
you go through this difficult internal process, you’ll begin to favor certain alternatives:
those that seem to have a higher potential for reaching your goal. Finally, place the
alternatives in a priority order, based upon your own value system. Step 5: Choose among
alternatives: Once you have weighed all the evidence, you are ready to select the
alternative that seems to be the best one for you. You may even choose a combination of
alternatives. Your choice in Step 5 may very likely be the same or similar to the alternative
you placed at the top of your list at the end of Step 4. Step 6: Take action: You’re now
ready to take some positive action by beginning to implement the alternative you chose in
Step 5.
Step 7: Review your decision & its consequences: In this final step, consider the results
of your decision and evaluate whether or not it has resolved the need you identified in Step
1. If the decision has not met the identified need, you may want to repeat certain steps of
the process to make a new decision. For example, you might want to gather more detailed
or somewhat different information or explore additional alternatives.
Common Challenges of Decision Making
Here are common challenges of decision making along with best practices to help you
avoid them:
• Having too much or not enough information: Gathering relevant information is key
when approaching the decision making process, but it’s important to identify how much
background information is truly required. An overload of information can leave you
confused and misguided, and prevents you from following your intuition. In addition,
relying on one single source of information can lead to bias and misinformation, which
can have disastrous effects down the line.
• Misidentifying the problem: In many cases, the issues surrounding your decision will
be obvious. However, there will be times when the decision is complex and you aren’t
sure where the main issue lies. Conduct thorough research and speak with internal
experts who experience the problem firsthand in order to mitigate this. It will save you
time and resources in the long run.
• Overconfidence in the outcome: Even if you follow the steps of the decision making
process, there is still a chance that the outcome won’t be exactly what you had in mind.
That’s why it’s so important to identify a valid option that is plausible and achievable.
Being overconfident in an unlikely outcome can lead to adverse results.

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 Chapter 12
Motivation

Motivation is the word derived from the word ’motive’ which means needs, desires,
wants or drives within the individuals. It is the process of stimulating people to actions to
accomplish the goals. In the work goal context the psychological factors stimulating the
people’s behaviour can be - • desire for money
• success
• recognition
• job-satisfaction
• team work, etc

One of the most important functions of leadership is to create willingness amongst the
people to perform in the best of their abilities. Therefore, the role of a leader is to arouse
interest in performance of people in their jobs. The process of motivation consists of
three stages:-
1. A felt need or drive
2. A stimulus in which needs have to be aroused
3. When needs are satisfied, the satisfaction or accomplishment of goals.

Therefore, we can say that motivation is a psychological phenomenon which means

needs and wants of the individuals have to be tackled by framing an incentive plan.
Importance of Motivation
Motivation is a very important for an organization because of the following benefits it
provides (Juneja, nd):
1. Puts human resources into action: Every concern requires physical, financial
and human resources to accomplish the goals. It is through motivation that the human
resources can be utilized by making full use of it. This can be done by building
willingness in employees to work. This will help the enterprise in securing best possible
utilization of resources.
2. Improves level of efficiency of employees: For getting best of his work
performance, the gap between ability and willingness has to be filled which helps in
improving the level of performance of people.
3. Leads to achievement of goals: The goals of an enterprise can be achieved
only when the following factors take place :-
i. There is best possible utilization of resources,
ii. There is a co-operative work environment,
iii. The people are goal-directed and they act in a purposive manner, iv. Goals can be
achieved if co-ordination and co-operation takes place simultaneously which can be
effectively done through motivation.
4. Builds friendly relationship: Motivation is an important factor which brings people’s
satisfaction. This can be done by keeping into mind and framing an incentive plan for the
benefit of the persons.
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 Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Model
Human behaviour is goal-directed. Motivation cause goal-directed behaviour. It is
through motivation that needs can be handled and tackled purposely. This can be
understood by understanding the hierarchy of needs. The needs of individual serves as a
driving force in human behaviour. Therefore, a manager must understand the “hierarchy of
needs”.
The needs have been classified into the following in order:
1. Physiological needs- These are the basic needs of an individual which includes food,
clothing, shelter, air, water, etc. These needs relate to the survival and maintenance of
human life.
2. Safety needs- These needs are also important for human beings. Everybody wants job
security, protection against danger, safety of property, etc.
3. Social needs- These needs emerge from society. Man is a social animal. These needs
become important. For example- love, affection, belongingness, friendship, conversation,
etc.
4. Esteem needs- These needs relate to desire for self-respect, recognition and respect from
others.
5. Self-actualization needs- These are the needs of the highest order and these needs are
found in those person whose previous four needs are satisfied. This will include need for
social service, meditation.
Types of Motivation
Motivation can be divided into two different theories known as intrinsic (internal or
inherent) motivation and extrinsic (external) motivation.
Intrinsic motivation:Intrinsic motivation is a behaviour that is driven by satisfying
internal rewards. For example, an athlete may enjoy playing football for the experience,
rather than for an award. It is an interest or enjoyment in the task itself, and exists within
the individual rather than relying on external pressures or a desire for consideration. In
short, the cause of the behaviour must be internal, known as internal locus of causality, and
the individual who engages in the behaviour must perceive that the task increases their
competence.
People who are intrinsically motivated are more likely to engage in the task willingly as
well as work to improve their skills, which will increase their capabilities.
Extrinsic motivation: Extrinsic motivation comes from influences outside of the individual.
Usually extrinsic motivation is used to attain outcomes that a person wouldn't get from
intrinsic motivation. Common extrinsic motivations are rewards (for example money or
grades) for showing the desired behavior, and the threat of punishment following misbehavior.
Competition is an extrinsic motivator because it encourages the performer to win and to beat
others, not simply to enjoy the intrinsic rewards of the activity. A cheering crowd and the
desire to win a trophy are also extrinsic incentives.
The simplest distinction between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation is the type of reasons or
goals that lead to an action. While intrinsic motivation refers to doing something because it is

39
inherently interesting or enjoyable and satisfying, extrinsic motivation, refers to doing
something because it leads to a separable outcome. Extrinsic motivation thus contrasts with
intrinsic motivation, which is doing an activity simply for the enjoyment of the activity itself,
instead of for its instrumental value.

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 Chapter 13
Sensitivity

Sensitivity is the strength of the capacity to detect and discriminate

stimuli. It is our response to our environment - either physical or
emotional. It is how strong the perception of a stimulus is in an
individual. A person who has higher sensitivity will perceive a stimulus
more strongly at a lower level than someone who is less sensitive to the
stimulus. Sensitivity to cold mean one is quick to notice the slightest
chill - in the air or in another person’s actions. Sensitivity to pollen
means one is sneezing any time it’s in the air - you just always seem to
react to it. It’s the same with emotions - sensitivity means one pick up
on the feelings of others. If one has great sensitivity to his classmates,
then he is aware of their needs and behaves in a way that makes them
feel good. Some of dictionary meanings of sensitivity are as:
- Sensitivity is the ability of an organism or organ to respond to external stimuli.
- Awareness of and responsiveness to the feelings of others.
- Degree of awareness and responsiveness to internal and external changes, challenges,
or demands.
- Degree of susceptibility to damage or harm from changes in the environment.
- Degree of change in a dependent variable in response to a change in an independent
variable on which it is dependent
- An ability to understand what other people need, and be helpful and kind to them -
Responsiveness to a feeling of others.
Sensitivity is the strength of the capacity to detect and
discriminate stimuli. It is how strong the perception of a stimulus is in
an individual. A person who has higher sensitivity will perceive a
stimulus more strongly at a lower level than someone who is less
sensitive to the stimulus. If two people are looking at a light that is
increasing in brightness the one who is more sensitive will squint and
close their eye sooner than the person who is less sensitive. People have
variations in sensitivities to different stimuli.
A highly sensitive person experiences the world differently than
others. Due to a biological difference that they’re born with, highly
sensitive people are more aware of subtleties and process information
deeply. This means they tend to be creative, insightful, and empathetic,
but it also means they’re more prone than others to stress and
overwhelm. Being sensitive is a good thing, as it cues in to the world
around us. It alerts us to danger; it's also the basis for empathy.
But being sensitive is double-edged, as it can lead either in a pro-
social or in an egotistical direction. One is empathy and the other he
terms personal distress. Sensitivity experienced as personal distress can
make person anxious, uncomfortable, or cause alarm or worry, which is

41
 a good thing when danger is present. If this is the case, then the person
will try to reduce those unpleasant feelings either by fleeing or attacking
the source of distress.
In personal relations, the person motivated by personal distress will
help others in need if the helping is easy and doesn't cause further distress.
But if the helping isn't easy, then an effective remedy to these bad feelings
is walk away. Still another possibility is to avoid seeing the problem in the
first place.
Batson et al., (1987) explained that those who feel empathy rather than personal
distress are more likely to be turned towards the needs of others. Perhaps some people are
inclined towards feeling personal distress and others towards empathy as a matter of
temperament.
Another possibility is that the highly sensitive person may feel overwhelmed by
what needs to be done in order to alleviate the sorrows of the world. Not capable of being
a saint, the person may be immobilized. Similarly, the combination of being a perfectionist
and being sensitive may lead one to do nothing. The inaction is
rationalized as, "If I can't do it right, I'd rather not do it at all."
Benefits of Being Highly Sensitive
There are many benefits to being a highly sensitive person. Here, some important of them
as identified by Breul(2018):
1. Depth of experience and feeling.
2. Strong self-awareness.
3. Increased empathy.
4. Intuitive nurturing skills.
5. Masters of self-care.
6. Appreciative of the small things.
7. Finding beauty in both sadness and joy.
8. Knack for forming close relationships.
Qualities of a Sensitive Person
The truth is that high sensitivity gives us the ability to be strong, capable and thriving,
even in the face of adversity. In fact, the very traits that make us highly sensitive are the
qualities that can give us enormous inner strength. The key to developing inner strength,
therefore, is not in trying to be less sensitive, but recognizing that sensitivity is strength.
Ward (2014) identified following qualities of a sensitive person:
1.Awareness: Because sensitive persons are more aware of our surroundings and our
own feelings than other people, we tend to have a better understanding of when we are
stressed, overwhelmed and what we need to feel calmer, allowing us to face difficult
situations rather than pushing them away.
2.Creativity: Creative pursuits give us the channel through which our energies can flow
in positive ways. When we’re facing hard times, the ability to express ourselves in a work of
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 art can give us the outlet for our intense feelings in a way that can benefit others as well as
ourselves.
3.Empathy: Putting ourselves in other peoples’ shoes is something that sensitive persons
do naturally. It gives other people a feeling of recognition while developing our own
understanding of human nature. Additionally, our abhorrence of abuse, neglect or the
mistreatment of others gives us the drive to stand up for what we believe in.
4.Appreciation: Highly sensitive people notice details and have a deep appreciation for
beauty, so much so that we see it everywhere, every day, in even the smallest things. This
appreciation for life’s beauty builds our inner strength because we know there is so much to
be grateful for and because it creates a sense of inner calm and happiness and joy in everyday
things.
5.Intuition: Our highly developed intuitive sense gives us a deep understanding of
people and situations, allowing us a clear vision of what is happening and what needs to be
done.
6.Passion: Despite our sensitive and gentle appearance, sensitive persons are intensely
passionate people. We feel strongly about our values and issues we believe in, creating a
powerful energy that feeds our resilience. It is this passion that enables highly sensitive
people to keep moving forward and take on life’s challenges, despite the risks, the dangers,
and even their own fears. They will simply do what they believe in because they feel so
strongly about it, resulting in actions that are illustrations not only of conviction, but bravery.
Ways to Deal with Emotional Sensitivity
Being sensitive is good as it’s part of emotional intelligence, but too much of a good thing isn’t
great. Here’s the ways suggested by Mazlan (2019) that how you can keep your emotions in
check by turning your oversensitivity down a notch or two.
1. Write down your feelings: The first thing you should do after a sensitive episode is to
write down how you feel. The key is to untangle the knot of feelings swirling about you to
clearly understand what made you so affected.
2. Figure out what makes you sensitive: Now that you have everything in blackand-
white, read through what you wrote and pinpoint the crux of the matter. Did you feel prickles
of sensitivity when someone pointed out a mistake you made? Maybe you felt slightly
offended that someone assumed you were ignorant about something. Now that you’ve figured
out what’s bothering you, you can move on to fixing it.
3. Don’t be too hard on yourself: Remember, being sensitive is a good thing as it means
one is compassionate and empathetic to other people’s situations. This can affect one’s mental
wellbeing, especially if he/she take things too personally and dwell on it for long periods of
time.
4. Limit over thinking: Do not overthink situations and comments, obsessing over the
slightest action or words.
6. Think before you react: Before you jump to conclusions and get on the defensive,
take a mental step back and think before you react. When you immediately assume something
about a person’s intentions or behaviour, you’re filtering it negatively without any facts or
evidence to support your hypothesis.

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 7. Challenge yourself and ask for feedback: Instead of licking your wounds and not
saying anything, do ask for feedback and constructive criticism. As long as you learn not to
take things personally and remember that the comments are about your work and not who you
are as a person, getting feedback will help desensitise you.
8. It’s not all about you: Realistically, most people are too busy thinking about their own
struggles and problems, which means they frankly aren’t thinking of you at all. Instead of
automatically reacting to their behaviour, have a think about what they are feeling instead.
Remember, you aren’t the leading character in everyone’s life.
9. Be patient: It takes time to become less oversensitive, so don’t take it to heart if you
still feel prickles of sensitivity every so often. You’ll learn how to manage your feelings in due
time. Also, think of how this learning process will greatly help you as you get older and
experience more emotionally-challenging situations. Patience is key when it comes to
improving yourself.

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 Chapter 14
Success

Success is the status of having achieved and accomplished an aim or objective. Being
successful means the achievement of desired visions and planned goals. Furthermore, success
can be a certain social status that describes a prosperous person that could also have gained
fame for its favorable outcome. Success can also mean completing an objective or reaching a
goal. Success can be expanded to encompass an entire project or be restricted to a single
component of a project or task. It can be achieved within the workplace, or in an individual's
personal life.
Principles for Success
There are key principles to success, which if followed properly will allow you to take your life
to a new level. The Principles for Success, as derived from the work of Napoleon Hill (1928,
1937), are described as below:
1. Definiteness of Purpose: Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all
achievement. Without a purpose and a plan, people drift aimlessly through life.
2. Mastermind Alliance: The Mastermind principle consists of an alliance of two or
more minds working in perfect harmony for the attainment of a common definite objective.
Success does not come without the cooperation of others.
3. Applied Faith: Faith is a state of mind through which your aims, desires, plans and
purposes may be translated into their physical or financial equivalent.
4. Going the Extra Mile: When you go the extra mile, the Law of Compensation comes
into play. Going the extra mile is the action of rendering more and better service than that for
which you are presently paid. When you go the extra mile, the Law of Compensation comes
into play.
5. Pleasing Personality: Personality is the sum total of one’s mental, spiritual and
physical traits and habits that distinguish one from all others. It is the factor that determines
whether one is liked or disliked by others.
6. Personal Initiative: Personal initiative is the power that inspires the completion of that
which one begins. It is the power that starts all action. No person is free until he learns to do
his own thinking and gains the courage to act on his own.
7. Positive Mental Attitude: Positive mental attitude is the right mental attitude in all
circumstances. Success attracts more success while failure attracts more failure.
8. Enthusiasm: Enthusiasm is faith in action. It is the intense emotion known as burning
desire. It comes from within, although it radiates outwardly in the expression of one’s voice
and countenance.
9. Self-Discipline: If you do not control your thoughts, you cannot control your needs.
Self-discipline begins with the mastery of thought. If you do not control your thoughts, you
cannot control your needs. Self-discipline calls for a balancing of the emotions of your heart
with the reasoning faculty of your head.
10. Accurate Thinking: The power of thought is the most dangerous or the most
beneficial power available to man, depending on how it is used.

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 11. Controlled Attention: Controlled attention leads to mastery in any type of human
endeavor, because it enables one to focus the powers of his mind upon the attainment of a
definite objective and to keep it so directed at will.
12. Teamwork: Teamwork is harmonious cooperation that is willing, voluntary and free.
Whenever the spirit of teamwork is the dominating influence in business or industry, success is
inevitable. Harmonious cooperation is a priceless asset that you can acquire in proportion to
your giving.
13. Adversity & Defeat: Many so-called failures represent only a temporary defeat that
may prove to be a blessing in disguise. Individual success usually is in exact proportion of the
scope of the defeat the individual has experienced and mastered. Many so-called failures
represent only a temporary defeat that may prove to be a blessing in disguise.
14. Creative Vision: Creative vision is developed by the free and fearless use of one’s
imagination. It is not a miraculous quality with which one is gifted or is not gifted at birth.
15. Health: Sound health begins with a sound health consciousness, just as financial
success begins with a prosperity consciousness.
16. Budgeting Time & Money: Time and money are precious resources, and few people
striving for success ever believe they possess either one in excess.
17. Habits: Developing and establishing positive habits leads to peace of mind, health and
financial security. You are where you are because of your established habits and thoughts and
deeds.
Barriers to Success
Jones (2012) identified common and debilitating barriers to success to deal with any
obstacles and challenges that get in your way.
1. Lack of Goals: Many people go through life without setting themselves any goals.
Without goals you have no map of where you want to go and what you want to achieve.
2. Poor attitude: Our attitude is without doubt the biggest determinant to what kind of
results we get in life. Our attitude determines what we think and do, which ultimately
determines what we create.
3. Self doubt: The demon of self-doubt is one of the major barriers in preventing people
from achieving success and realizing their goals. Negative thoughts about whether we’re
good enough to succeed often leads to us talking ourselves out of starting anything.
4. Fear of Failure: There is nothing wrong with having a fear of failing. Everyone fears
failure. Even the Richard Branson’s and the Bill Gates’ of the world have been struck by the
fear of failure at some point. However, what you must ensure is to never let it paralyze and
stop you from taking action. The purpose of fear is not to restrict or inhibit, but to heighten
our senses, increase our focus, and instill us with drive and determination.
5. Negative attitude: Our attitude is without doubt the biggest determinant to what kind
of results we get in life. Our attitude determines what we think and do, which ultimately
determines what we create. Avoid negativity and negative people, starting with yourself.
Negative people will drain your energy and hinder your progress, and negative thoughts will
slow you down and discourage you. If things are hard, work harder. If you fail, learn from
your mistakes. If you focus on problems, you will have more problems. If you focus on
solutions, you will have more opportunities.

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 6. Poor planning: Poor planning and implementation drastically reduce your chances of
success. Proper strategic planning is a key requirement if failure and disappointment are to be
avoided.
7. Procrastination: Your life is not a dress rehearsal. You only get one chance so don’t
keep putting things off for tomorrow. Try and do something everyday which will bring you
closer to realizing your goals.
8. Listening to The Doubters and Naysayers: Avoid listening to negative comments or
messages from family, friends or acquaintances. Their negative opinions will only serve to
put you down, leading to you questioning and doubting your abilities to succeed.
9. Lack of discipline and self control: Being able to resist distractions and temptations
that get in the way of you achieving your goals is vital to ultimate success. Discipline and
self-control enables you to stick at things, persevere and follow through with any given tasks
and projects.
10. Laziness: It so easy to slip into our old lazy routines, sit back and just wait for
things to happen. Unfortunately, nothing worthwhile is achieved without effort and hard
work. Success only arrives when we do what it takes, when we go that extra mile.

Chapter 15
Selfless Service

Selfless service is a service which is performed without any expectation of

result or award for performing it. Such services can be performed to benefit
other human beings or society. To truly perform selfless service, one must act
without any desire for a reward or recognition. It is given freely, motivated by
an innate desire to help another. At the time of giving, one forgets one’s own
needs and wants, as well as one’s comfort and safety, to help someone else.
There are even those who give their own lives to save others. Truly selfless
people do not expect anything in return for their deeds. The underlying paradox
of selfless service lies in the fact that while wanting no reward, selfless service
elicits the highest reward - self satisfaction. Selflessness
This is the quality of a person who is more focused on the needs of others,
rather than his or her own. It means showing more interest in the welfare of
other people. One of the most endearing qualities that one can possess is
selflessness (putting others first). Continual acts of selflessness portray a real
man or real woman. Attributes of Selflessness
Aiming to be selfless is a great attribute to strive for, and most selfless people
are thought of kindly as being wonderful people. The following are some of the
attributes of a selfless person:
1. Giving: A selfless person is a giving person. Such persons are not
stingy with money or material goods. A selfless person is ready to give out
what he or she has, to express his concern for others.
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 2. Focusing on Others: Many people spend their entire life thinking
about themselves alone. A selfless person will always want to put others first
and think less of himself or herself.
3. Love: One thing all selfless people have in common is the great
capacity to love others and express it. Selfless people do not judge others.
4. Time: Everyone should know that time is precious, and it is one of the
most valuable things that we have. A selfless person will always give out his
time to assist others. Sharing time with others can also be one of the most
rewarding experiences one can ever have.
Ways to be Selfless
Following Loya(2017) ways to be selfless are explained bellow:
1. Practice compassion meditation: To become more selfless, psychologists have
discovered through many studies that loving kindness meditation can actually increase
altruism in people. we can train our brain to become more compassionate through a simple
meditation sequence.
2. Perform random acts of kindness: All of us can offer some sort of help to
other people, whether through our words, actions, or smiles. After doing a nice deed for
someone on a consistent basis, it will start to become second nature.
3. Listen more: Everyone goes through some sort of troubles in life, but you
could be the one to relieve some of the stress by simply opening your ears and heart.
4. Give some of your paycheck to a charity: One of the best ways to become
more selfless is to give away some of your hard-earned money to those less fortunate.
6. Practice patience: We live in a very impatient world. We have an entitled
mindset, generally believing that we should come first – always. Next time you have to
wait in line somewhere or can’t get what you want/need immediately, remember to practice
patience. In some other part of the world, they might be waiting on food or water they
haven’t had in days. Put things into perspective when you have to wait – it will help you
become more selfless.
7. Treat others how you’d want to be treated: This variation of the Golden Rule
still applies today. One of the best ways to increase the selflessness in today’s world is to
simply treat others with kindness, just like we would want from others. If we could just do
that one thing, we would see huge transformation in the world we live in.
Why Practice Selflessness?
Lydon(2016) highlighted the importance of selflessnee as described below:
1. Being selfless helps us identify and connect with others and that in and of itself is
rewarding.
2. It helps squash our egos because we are not acting out of pride or for a desire to be noticed.
3. Selflessness helps us act from our heart and soul instead of our ego, tapping into our true
desired feelings.
4. It helps improve our relationships.

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5. It’s contagious. We want to be around generous, loving, giving people. These are the
people that ultimately make the world a better place.
6. Selfless service elicits the highest reward – sense of satisfaction.
7. Selfless service provides the ingredient of grace, which helps open the inner gates.
8. It is through selfless service that we speed up our progress towards the attainment of inner
peace and ecstasy
9. By serving selflessly, we expand our hearts from our own self to our family, to the
community, our country, the world, and ultimately, the cosmos.

Chapter 16
Attachment and Detachment

Attachment

Attachment, in simple terms, can be defined as a feeling of affection for

something or someone. Ainsworth (1973) and Bowlby (1969), defined
attachment as a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one
person to another across time and space. Attachment does not have to be
reciprocal. Attachment is a somewhat negative trait as it encourages the
idea of possession, and a sense of ownership (Chadha, 2017). It causes us
to rely on tangible and materialistic things for deriving pleasure and
satisfaction. A person who is higher on attachment will have a consumerist
approach towards everything and everyone. His happiness will always be
dependent on external sources and thus he will always have to face
disappointment, this will lead to a constant swing of moods from euphoria
to sorrow (Bhushan, 1994). This kind of extreme unpredictability and
disuniformity is considered to be the root of an individual’s torments and
conflicts that lead to anxiety, stress and strain in personal relationships.
Part of life is having attachments. In relationships, we attach to our partner.
We attach to our belongings and physical items that we love. We attach to
places and ideas. We attach to our hopes and dreams. Ideally, life is a cycle
of holding and letting go, but we become so attached that we can no longer
see clearly. Our attachment can become so strong that we actually lose
sight of the bigger picture. Attachment moves us into a state of need. Once
we believe we need someone or something in order to be happy, we give
away our power to the object of our desire.
Once we have attached to someone or something our perspective changes.
We begin to perceive that as something we need in our life to make us
happy. However, nothing outside of us can truly bring happiness or
security. You are the one who decides whether you are happy or not in any
situation. Once we become attached, we give away our power to be in
control of our own happiness. It is clearly stated that forming attachment
leads to desire which leads to aggression and hence stops an individual

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 from attaining enlightenment and self actualization. Attachment is seen as
the root cause of all human suffering and interpersonal conflicts. On the
other hand, there are western cultures that are much more individualistic
and promote the idea of individual growth. Examples of such countries are
USA, UK etc. In western nations attachment is preferred over detachment.
Attachment to positive thoughts and emotions is encouraged (Alexander,
2011).
Characteristics of Attachment
Bowlby believed that there are four distinguishing characteristics of attachment:
1. Proximity Maintenance - The desire to be near the people we are attached to.
2. Safe Haven - Returning to the attachment figure for comfort and safety in the face of a
fear or threat.
3. Secure Base - The attachment figure acts as a base of security from which the child can
explore the surrounding environment.
4. Separation Distress - Anxiety that occurs in the absence of the attachment figure.
Attachment Styles
Attachment styles are characterized by different ways of interacting and behaving in
relationships. During early childhood, these attachment styles are centered on how children
and parents interact. In adulthood, attachment styles are used to describe patterns of
attachment in romantic relationships. Today, psychologists typically recognize four main
attachment styles. The four child/adult attachment styles are:
• Secure – autonomous;
• Avoidant – dismissing; • Anxious – preoccupied; and
• Disorganized – unresolved.
1. Secure attachment: About half of the population has a healthy, secure
attachment style. This means they are comfortable with intimacy, and tend to be more
satisfied in their relationships. The security usually stems from having a healthy
relationship with parents, where they were allowed to go out and explore the world as
children, but also felt safe and protected.
2. Anxious attachment: Anxiously attached people become incredibly unhappy
and worried about being too much or too little for the person they are dating, and take
everything incredibly personally. They don't really live in the moment, but instead place a
lot of high hopes on their partner, and get attached to their potential. This is often because
they expect their relationship to define them, rescue them, or complete them. They cling to
their partner codependently, because they are afraid of being alone.
3. Avoidant attachment: People with an avoidant attachment style completely
avoid relationships altogether, or keep anyone new they meet at a distance. They may
sabotage their blossoming romances out of nowhere, because they are scared their new
partner will leave them - so they get in there first. Avoidantly attached people can be
divided into two categories: dismissive and fearful.

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 4. Disorganized-disoriented attachment: Disorganized attachment refers to
children who have no predictable pattern of attachment behaviours. It makes intuitive sense
that a child’s attachment style is largely a function of the caregiving the child receives in
his or her early years. Those who received support and love from their caregivers are likely
to be secure, while those who experienced inconsistency or negligence from their
caregivers are likely to feel more anxiety surrounding their relationship with their parents.

Detachment
As the attachment grows, so does the fear of losing the very thing we desire. It is in the
moments when we fear that the person or object we are attached to does not meet our
expectations, or may be lost, that we experience moments of great emotional suffering and
pain in our life. Our mind, in an attempt to save us from that potential loss, sends us into
survival mode. We become hyper focused, obsessed, and often even addicted to the person
or thing that we have attached ourselves to. We can become clingy, controlling,
domineering and extremely emotional and insecure all in a desperate attempt to protect our
attachment. Once we get to this space we are so entangled in the attachment we are out of
balance, often reacting irrationally. We can avoid this by choosing to let go and live with
non-attachment.
Detachment, also expressed as non-attachment, is a state in which a person overcomes their
attachment to desire for things, people or concepts of the world and thus attains a heightened
perspective. Detachment as release from desire and consequently from suffering is an
important principle.
Letting go does not mean removing yourself from the relationship or letting go of your dreams.
It does not mean giving up on your dreams. Living with non-attachment means releasing our
need for the relationship, thing or idea; It means accepting things as they are, knowing that
everything is evolving and changing, nothing is permanent everything is temporary in life.
When we can live with non-attachment, we can live life with intensity and depth that we
cannot realize when we are entangled by fears and insecurities. Once we release those cords of
entanglement, we can make decisions from a solid place of wisdom and love.
Detachment Process
We all have attachments. That is human. The goal is to be aware of attachments we have
created or are creating and release them. The following steps will help you in letting go of
attachments (Demers, N.D.):
1. Awareness: Be aware of the attachments you have in your life. What are the areas
where you have given up your power? Where fear and insecurity have taken over and are
running the show. Where do you need to detach?
2. Examination: Step back and take a truthful honest look at your attachments. What is
keeping you attached? What fears and insecurities are causing you to hold on? Are these fears
real? What are you really worried about or afraid of? Dig deep and decide if you are willing to
let go.
3. Forgiveness: If this is an attachment where you have been harboring resentment or
negative feelings it is worth considering forgiving the person and yourself. As long as you hold

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on to resentments, you will remain attached and unable to fully let go. Once you forgive, you
no longer need to tell the story. You are free to let go and move on.
4. Mantras and Affirmations: Choose a mantra or affirmation to repeat daily. Mentally
repeat this mantra whenever you feel yourself falling back into old patterns or struggling with
letting go.
5. Patience: Life is a process and we all make lots of mistakes while we are learning from
our experiences. Do not beat yourself up. You are doing the best you can. Sometimes change
and letting go take time. Keep working the process. There will be ups and downs, but with
time you will heal from the pain and find that with less attachment, life is more vibrant.
6. Build Your Foundation: If you become so entangled that you have no life outside of
your attachment, now is the time to find one. If you leave an empty void where the attachment
once was, and do not intentionally replace it with something else you may find yourself
repeating the pattern over again. Get out and spend time with friends. Find a new hobby. Take
a class. Whatever you choose to do, get busy and rebuild your foundation.
7. Find a Professional: If the attachment is so strong you feel you cannot do this alone,
seek the assistance of a professional counselor who can support you and hold you accountable
as you go through the process.
Application of Attachment and Detachment
The researcher wants to draw attention towards the modern day applications of attachment
and detachment which also elucidates its relevance to focus on such concepts as well. It
can be applied to any population i.e. student, adolescent, middle age, or old age as
everyone has a pursuit for happiness and well-being.
• Since in today’s world it is impossible for an individual to live in isolation and in complete
detachment he should continue being attached to necessities like food, shelter, sleep etc.
but he should become introspective and work to increase his self restraint.
• The individual should have control over his needs and should be able to deny desirable and
pleasurable things.
• Everything should be done in moderation and self discipline should be given utmost
importance.
• For people suffering from depression it is sometimes useful to detach oneself from the
surroundings and concentrate only on oneself.
An individual should be empathetic, compassionate and helpful towards others without
expecting anything in return in order to lead a wholesome and happy life.

Chapter 17
Body, Mind and Soul

Man is a tripartite being. The tripartite view holds that humankind is a composite of three
distinct components: physical, intellectual and spiritual. These three distinct parts may be
separately called body, mind and soul. Harmony among body, mind, and soul leads us
towards a happy and purposeful life. It is, therefore, important, that we realize their
respective meanings.

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 The Body
The human body is the structure of a human being. It is composed of trillions of different
types of cells that together create tissues and subsequently organ systems. The organ
systems carry out specific functions necessary for everyday living. The Mind
The mind is the broad set of intellectual faculties including cognitive aspects such as
consciousness, imagination, perception, thinking, judgement, language and memory, as
well as noncognitive aspects such as emotion. Under the scientific physicalist
interpretation, the mind is housed at least in part in the brain. The mind is the
mental/emotional aspect of the human being. The mind processes thoughts and ideas as
well as feelings and emotions. The mind is consciousness, memory, and imagination. It is
made up of three parts:
• The conscious mind: It is that part of our thoughts and feelings that we are aware of.
• The sub-conscious mind: It contains all the impressions required to complete our destiny
in our current lifetime. Thoughts from the sub-conscious mind sometimes emerge into the
conscious mind from time to time either in response to some external stimulus or at time
even without it.
• The unconscious mind: This is the aspect of our mind that we are completely unaware of.
This contains all the impressions that are associated with our accumulated account.
The soul
The soulis the incorporeal essence of a living being. An entity which is regarded as being
the immortal or spiritual part of a person and which, having no physical or material reality,
is credited with the functions of thinking, willing, and choosing. It is moral or emotional
nature of a human being.
Tripartite System
The actual tripartite system is quite simple, and follows the natural growth of a human.
When a child is born, he is a purely physical creature. His needs maintain his body, and it
is through this strict attention to those needs that he can grow and develop. Without this
concentration on the physical at a young age, the species would not survive.
After a few years, however, the child can manage to take care of himself, at least in part.
He then enters the age of reason. A healthy child is well on his way by age seven, and a
number of cultures attach religious rituals to this milestone. This does not mean that his
mind is fully developed. It simply acknowledges a change in the ways of thought: things
are examined; consequences are remembered; the world seems less a place of mystery and
adventure and more a place to be studied and investigated. Like the physical, the
intellectual stage continues to be important throughout life, but does not necessarily
dominate a man’s actions for the remainder of his days. There is one more level to
discover.
The ability to think spiritually, or abstractly, begins in the mid-teens. Once again, religious
rituals may accompany this stage – usually involving entry into adulthood. An awareness of
the patterns of humanity and questions about the underlying nature of man and the purpose of
life begin to occupy the mind. Such esoteric concepts are not easily understood, and a man
may spend the rest of his days pondering them. As youth and strength fade, it is expected that

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the mind turn to the great issues in life. The physical is important for survival, and the
intellectual is necessary to function in society, but it is the final stage, the spiritual, that will be
the salvation of the individual and, hopefully, society.
Mind vs Soul
Mind and soul are two concepts that are closely related yet very distinct from one another.
They both come from the inner part of a human being.
The soul is the spiritual nature of humankind. It is the incorporeal essence of humankind. In
life, it is credited with the faculties of thought, action, and emotion.
The mind is man’s faculty of thinking, reasoning, and applying knowledge. It is human
consciousness that starts in the brain and is manifested through man’s thoughts, actions,
emotion, will, memory, and imagination.
Emotions like desire stem from our souls. Desires are aimed at things that are transient, those
things that go away and die but at the same time will give us pleasure. Our minds are where we
decide how to take pleasure, what we should do to achieve it, and how it should be fulfilled.
The soul as the essence of the person decides how man behaves and this essence is an eternal
part of our being. The idea of the existence of souls is more closely connected to spirituality
and religion.
For scientists, the soul is synonymous with the mind due to the fact that one can learn about the
soul by studying the human brain where our minds are located. Still others believe that the soul
is closely related to being alive and that when man is active, his soul is asleep; when man is
asleep it is active through his dreams.
The mind on the other hand is used to refer to the individual’s thought process of reason and
consciousness. It is synonymous with thought which is an individual’s private conversion with
himself that is done inside his head.
Some psychologists believe that emotions like love, hate, fear, and joy are separate from the
mind because only higher intellectual processes like memory and reason can be part of the
mind.
Balancing the Body, Mind and Soul
Maintaining a balance of mind, body and soul is very important to live happy and fulfilled life.
The three components are very well interconnected and dependent; a weakness or imbalance in
one of these aspects can be harmful to other. There are various ways to integrate body, mind
and soul. some of those have discussed daily practices below:
1. React less, reflect more: Rather than just thinking and reacting one needs to
introspect. In day to day life, we waste our time observing and criticizing others. Introspecting
is looking within yourself and is essential to guide and control our actions and reactions. We
get an insight into ourselves and acquire a better understanding of ourselves.
2. Meditate: Meditation is important to connect to the eternal powers. Meditation is deep
thinking rather than shallow behaviour. It aids looking within and knowing your mind, soul,
and body.To connect with eternal forces meditation is essential.
3. Revive your connection with nature: Love nature, people and living organisms
around us.

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 4. Breathe well: Breathing exercises to control the body, mind, and soul. Controlling our
breath is one way to gain control of the inner world. It allows greater concentration and
harmonizes the body, mind, and soul connection.
5. Exercise: Find an exercise you enjoy and start doing it regularly. Research show that
exercise boosts mood by pumping oxygen into the brain and releasing feel-good endorphins.
6. Get plenty of sleep: Sleep is regenerative for our body. The more sleep we get, the
better we will perform the next day.
7. Breathe deeply: Get in the habit of taking deep breaths throughout the day and
consider establishing a steady breathwork practice using these beginner breath techniques.
Breathwork has been associated with many benefits, such as stress relief, lower blood pressure,
and sharper focus.
8. Spend more time with loved ones: In our busy lives we need to make time for the
people who matter most to us. Make a point every day to check in with at least one friend or
family member just to see how they are doing.
9. Live your passion: Do more of what you love, and less of what you don't. Starting a
visualization practice can help you get clear on what your passions could look like in practice.
10. Yoga: Yoga provides healing through stillness, balance awareness, and confidence. We
often focus on our mind’s role in healing the body.
11. Positive affirmations: Positive affirmations help by sending a positive reset to our
message center. These are especially helpful when reinforced by our spiritual beliefs.
12. Practice gratitude: There are countless studies on how gratitude changes our outlook,
controls toxic thoughts, improves mental and physical health. The benefits take a while to
build, but once activated the effects are long-lasting.

Chapter 18
Positive Spirit

Spirit is the vital principle or animating force within all living things. A
spirit is an anonymous force responsible for influencing the will of a person
and shapes his daily actions. Spirit is the courage and determination that
helps people to survive in difficult times and to keep their way of life and
their beliefs. Spirit is the liveliness and energy that someone shows in what
they do. Spirit is sometimes also used to refer to the prevailing or typical
quality, mood, or attitude of a person, group, or period of time. It is a
particular way of thinking, feeling, or behaving, especially a way that is
typical of a particular group of people, an activity, a time, or a place.
Positive Mindset and Attitude
Sasson described positive thinking as a mental and emotional attitude that
focuses on the bright side of life and expects positive results. Another, more
comprehensive definition comes from Cherry (2017) that positive thinking
actually means approaching life’s challenges with a positive outlook. It does
not necessarily mean avoiding or ignoring the bad things; instead, it
involves making the most of the potentially bad situations, trying to see the

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best in other people, and viewing yourself and your abilities in a positive
light.
We can extrapolate from these definitions and come up with a good
description of a positive mindset as the tendency to focus on the bright side,
expect positive results, and approach challenges with a positive outlook.
Having a positive mindset means making positive thinking a habit,
continually searching for the silver lining and making the best out of any
situation you find yourself in.
Characteristics of a Positive Spirit/ Mindset
Ackerman (2020) identified many characteristics associated with a positive
mindset including:
1. Optimism: A willingness to make an effort and take a chance instead of
assuming your efforts won’t pay off.
2. Acceptance: Acknowledging that things don’t always turn out how you want
them to, but learning from your mistakes.
3. Resilience: Bouncing back from adversity, disappointment, and failure
instead of giving up.
4. Gratitude: Actively, continuously appreciating the good things in your life.
5. Consciousness/Mindfulness: Dedicating the mind to conscious awareness
and enhancing the ability to focus.
6. Integrity:The trait of being honorable, righteous, and straightforward,
instead of deceitful and self-serving.
Character Traits of People with a Positive Attitude
1. A positive attitude is mental outlook of optimism and of expecting good things to happen.
People who possess this attitude are easier to get along with, are happy, and they spread joy
around them.
2. A person with a positive state of mind does not dwell on the problems and difficulties of
the past, and does not let them dictate his or her life. Such a person would rather learn from
past mistakes and move on.
3. A positive attitude can affect your life favorably in all areas. People with a positive
outlook, view life, challenges, and the situations they go through, with confidence and are
sure they can deal with them.
4. These people would not be stuck in a negative attitude of fear, lack of self-esteem and
passivity. People with a positive attitude will not let failure or obstacles stand in their way,
and will always try to find ways to overcome them.
Developing positive attitude
A person with a positive mindset is able to write negative events off as an incident and take
the chance to learn from their mistakes to avoid these bad happenings in the future. Merz
(2017)suggested practices that can help you achieve and sustain a positive attitude toward
your future.

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 1. Savor pleasure: Feeling pleasure helps sustain a positive attitude. Focus your
attention on something pleasing as it occurs, consciously enjoying the experience as it
unfolds. Most people are primed to experience pleasure in special moments. Everyday
pleasures, on the other hand, can slip by without much notice unless they disappear or
seem threatened. Slow down and focus.
2. Practice gratitude: Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what you receive,
whether tangible or intangible. Try keeping a gratitude journal, in which you regularly
write down things for which you are grateful. Doing so will help you go through your days
with greater appreciation, taking fewer blessings for granted. As you write, be specific and
try to relive the sensations you felt as you remember what each thing means to you.
3. Cultivate mindfulness: Mindfulness is generally acquired by training the mind
to focus its attention on the present moment in a systematic way, accepting whatever arises.
While savoring involves appreciating pleasurable sensations, mindfulness involves opening
fully to both pleasant and unpleasant experiences. Being mindful helps you become fully
engaged in activities and creates a greater capacity to deal with adverse events.
4. Retain a sense of purpose: It's normal to experience a sense of loss and even
grief if a relationship breaks. It's important at trying times to keep your life as normal as
possible and to focus on what you can control. Follow a regular sleep schedule, get enough
exercise, eat healthy meals, and stay in touch with friends and family. View an important
life change, no matter how painful, as a new challenge or opportunity.
Appreciating your ability to weather the storm will help you maintain a positive attitude.
5. Emphasize the positive: Winnowing out and focusing on the positive aspects
of a situation are key factors in acquiring resilience—the ability to bounce back from bad
times—that will help you weather the losses that may occur in the years ahead.

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