Indisputable

There are all kinds of things we can do to be successful and happy in life; but incredibly, even the truly best ideas of this sort have less than a full consensus.

You might think, who can argue with "work hard," until someone insists that "working smart," is actually the way. Clearly, neither is bad and some of both is probably best—but my point right now is that there is an alternative to either, and certainly a conversation to be had as far as the right balance or application of each.

How about being kind? In a perfect world, that is undoubtedly ideal, and I believe we should all probably be a little more kind across the board... until our kindness is taken for weakness.

Most would say that being humble is also good, but what about being proud of worthwhile things we work hard and smart to accomplish or attain?

Pray to God? Pray to Jesus? Pray to Allah? Just pray. What works for some might not work for others—no matter how good it sounds as a soundbyte or tagline.

While there are many good traits to have and methods to employ in our respective pursuits of happiness, I've found only two that are indisputable keys—be honest and do your best. These two will inherently encompass everything else you need. They will envelop you in both happiness and success. They will change the lives of you and those around you.

For many, especially those of us who have fallen a few rungs from what was once our best self, these two things require some change. I recommend starting with being honest for a couple of reasons. It is essentially a prerequisite of doing your best. How can you possibly be doing your very best when you aren't being honest? How can you even accurately gauge what your best is without honesty? As you work through this process, start within first. Being brutally honest with yourself—particularly about who you have been, who you are, and who you want to be—that is the first step that makes everything else possible. This internal honesty will take hold and spread to your actions involving others; but until you've got that down, you've probably got your hands full just dealing with yourself, much less anyone else. And don't fool yourself into thinking there are degrees of it either. When you ask yourself if you are being honest, that is a yes or no question. Buts and details that accompany a yes, mean it's actually a no. When dealing with others, try using this tip... when someone asks you something, the truth is usually the first thing that comes to your mind before you filter or massage it into something else.

As for doing your best, here is what I love about that. You can only be so honest, once you are——YOU ARE. In a similar way, you can only give 100%. I am a logic guy and a math guy, so people that say they give 110% make me laugh on the inside a little. Your all is your all and that is 100%, you can't give more. However, your capacity can grow. Your best today can be better than it was yesterday—and that should be the goal. As you learn, condition, and strengthen yourself. you and your best become more. You'll never give more than 100% and you should never be satisfied with giving less, but you can make that 100% grow into something more than you ever thought possible.

So, there is my two cents for the day. So much of the world these days is gray, I for one have found great comfort in identifying principles that are so black and white—so INDISPUTABLE. And for anyone who thought it was long overdue, you were right—but, I'm finally doing my best. Honestly.

Michael Asher Dagnan