WISDOM - Socrates, Secret of Success and other authors

Socrates - Secret of Success and other wise proverbs

A young man asked Socrates the secret to success. Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river the next morning. They met. Socrates asked the young man to walk with him toward the river. When the water got up to their neck, Socrates took the young man by surprise and ducked him into the water. 
The young man struggled to get out but Socrates was strong and kept him there until the young man started turning blue. Socrates pulled his head out of the water and the first thing the young man did was to gasp and take a deep breath of air. Socrates asked, 'What did you want the most when you were there?" The young man replied, "Air." Socrates said, "That is the secret to success. When you want success as badly as you wanted the air, then you will get it." There is no other secret.  A burning desire is the starting point of all accomplishment. Just like a small fire cannot give much heat, a weak desire cannot produce great results...

"He who is unable to live in society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god."  --Aristotle, Politics

One should never direct people towards happiness, because happiness too is an idol of the market-place.
One should direct them towards mutual affection.A beast gnawing at its prey can be happy too, but only
human beings can feel affection for each other, and this is the highest achievement they can aspire to. - Alexander Solzhenitsyn

The ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree and still be able to hold hands. - Alexandria Penney

We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. - Frederick Koenig

People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace.They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people,hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them.The irony is that the only place they ever needed to search was within. 
- Romana L. Anderson

Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you - not because they are nice, but because you are. ~Author Unknown

Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. ~Maori Proverb

We all possess the thunder of pure fury and the calm breeze of tranquility. If it wasn't for tomorrow, how much would we get done today? Whatever your purpose... embrace it completely. Get lost in the clouds every now and then so you never lose sight of God's wonder. ~Paul Vitale

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. ~Leo Buscaglia