I’m sure you’ve heard the (supposedly) motivational words, Failure Is Not An Option , as a way to inspire people to do great things. It makes great ad copy when selling sneakers or gatorade, and it ALWAYS makes for stirring interviews when people like Donald Trump, Olympic gold medalists, and award winners from every walk of life say it.

The Failure Is Not An Option perspective is a state of mind that can be extremely useful in helping us to keep moving forward no matter what setbacks come our way. But it can also do the EXACT OPPOSITE…

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Bill Gates with Matthew Bishop:

The Business of Giving

In a rare special appearance at 92Y, Bill Gates discusses his extraordinary career in business and philanthropy with Matthew Bishop of The Economist as part of his “The Business of Giving” series.

Save 25% on tickets with code EM25.

www.92Y.org/BillGates

(If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, you’ll LOVE this: http://www.lifebeyondcelebrity.com/giving-why-to-make-it-public/ ~Rebecca )

Climbing the mountain of success and reaching our goals can be a heady experience. Though, reaching the ‘top’ of the mountain offers an, often, unseen danger: the choice, conscious or not, to feel contented and satisfied, or instantly craving MORE.

There are SO many ways that fame can provide this opportunity for choice: rave reviews, accolades, media coups, winning awards-heck, even that elixir of love-like energy; applause.

In any of those situations, it’s our job to decide what success means when we get it-and that will inform whether we are satisfied with that success, or immediately starving for the next one.

A deeper question to ask ourselves, to find this out, is, often, “Am I trying to meet a need with this goal I have?” (more…)