A Life Plan for Effective Human Relations

            The traditional definitions of success that most of us know are too confining. They view success almost entirely in terms of measurable job achievements. These definitions leave out the intangible successes to be had in private and in professional life.

            Many people today are discovering that true success is a combination of achievements. Achieving right livelihood is one important dimension of success. Right livelihood is work consciously chosen, done with full awareness and care, and leading to enlightenment. Right livelihood is based on conscious choice. Although right livelihood recognizes that work is a vehicle for self&-expression, it is a concept that places money in a secondary position. People who choose right livelihood are more apt to have high self&-esteem, are self&-disciplined, and have established meaningful goals.

            A person's nonfinancial resources make one of the biggest contributions to a happy and fulfilling life. Each of us has four nonfinancial resources that can enrich our lives: physical and mental health, education and training  (intellectual growth), leisure time (time for family, socializing, recreation), and healthy spirituality These nonfinancial resources can be acquired throughout our lives.

            Many Americans are working to achieve lifestyles. Healthy lifestyles can give us a higher energy level, a greater sense of self&-confidence, and generally a  more positive outlook. People who maintain good health  usually have more endurance, spend less time feeling tired or ill and miss less work than persons who are not physically fit.

            Planning for changes in your life often requires breaking negative habits or forming positive habits. The process of breaking habits and forming new ones involves five steps: motivation, knowledge, practice, feedback, and reinforcement. Goal setting is also an integral part of a successful plan to make changes. Unspecified or vague goals are harder to reach and contribute less than they could to a productive, enriching life.