Here are some excerpts from Sal Khan’s 2012 commencement address at MIT. Go to Explore for an excellent post and the video of his remarks:
“Remember that real success is maximizing your internally derived happiness. It will not come from external status or money or praise. It will come from a feeling of contribution. A feeling that you are using your gifts in the best way possible.”
“…Start every morning with a smile — even a forced one — it will make you happier. Replace the words “I have to” with “I get to” in your vocabulary. Smile with your mouth, your eyes, your ears, your face, your body at every living thing you see. Be a source of energy and optimism. Surround yourself with people that make you better. Realize or even rationalize that the grass is truly greener on your side of the fence. Just the belief that it is becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy…
…View stressful, political interactions as nothing more than a deeply immersive strategy game. One that can be won if you stay focused on what matters most and your emotions and ego are not tied to your argument…
…Make people feel that you care about them. And here’s, a well, a little secret, the best way to do this is to actually care about them.
…Make people feel that you are listening to them. Another little secret, the best way to do this is to actually listen…
…When you feel overwhelmed, walk alone through the woods and forget your name, your title, your education and view yourself for what you really are — another mammal wondering why it is here but appreciating the fact that your civilization has not as yet been evaporated by a supernova.”
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Live & Learn 
A simple but hard process of giving attention to the moment and the things that matter.
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Yes Alex. Back on the theme of easy to say, hard to do…
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Much more eloquent than my ‘fake it til you make it’ comments in an earlier post…I appreciate the sound wisdom behind getting out into air and forgetting one’s self for a while. I’m not sure I would realize that I am another mammal sighing with relief that a super nova has avoided our planet for another moment, though the sensory experience of being outside and giving one’s self over to the enormity of it all, certainly does put things into perspective. Have a wonderful day David…:-)
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Smiling. The whole randomness and uncertainty of the super nova smacking us gave me the willies. Have a good day too Mimi.
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Wise words, “so simple and yet so hard,” as it were. I especially like “start every morning with a smile.”. It really does become a self-fulfilling prophecy I’ve discovered (though i’d be lying if I didn’t say that a growl feels more appropriate on occasion. 🙂 Hope your day is a sunny one!
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And you esp like “starting every morning with a smile.” It’s no wonder you landed as my designated “Happy” person. 🙂
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Great post…..
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Love the post Dave. Very simple, yet basic. It resonated a whole lot this morning, specially the first two points..
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Yes Paco, simple but yet so profound. Glad you enjoyed it.
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Thank you
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You know..this article rings bells in my life too. On the days I feel like a curmudgeon, I try and complement three people I come across at work during the day. Sounds fakey, but it works. They feel sparkly that they got a complement and I feel good I said something nice. The curmudgeon disappears!
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It does work Claudia. I’m with you…
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“…actually listen” would mean – among other things – getting my face out of my laptop when my husband is trying to discuss the nightly news with me. Yup. Probably very good advice!
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Laughing. I do the same. (And it is frowned upon)
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Wonderful post, Dave. Sal’s awesome — I’m looking forward to visiting the link. Thanks for sharing this.
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Glad you liked it Sandy. He is amazing…
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I do try to start each day with a smile, but today was really hard when I jumped out of bed at 4:30 a.m. after staying up past my bedtime, but by the time I got to the gym and did a couple of miles, I really felt good and the smile was on. Great post, great inspiration David!
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Funny how that happens. Tina, same with me. Just need to get started and the mood/attitude begins to turn and change for the better. Thanks for sharing Tina.
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Sal Khan on resisting cynicism and being optimistic:
“The first is to be just as incredibly or maybe even as delusionally positive as possible. It’s a very cynical place out there sometimes and that cynicism will eat at your energy and your potential. And to fight it, you should smile with every atom in your body, you should smile first thing in the morning, you should even, this is something that I actually do if I’m in a bad mood, force yourself to smile. It releases things in your brain. You should smile with your eyes, your mouth, your face, your body, at every living and non-living thing that you see. You should recognize that the grass is greener on your side of the fence and even in the 1% chance that it’s not, just convincing yourself that it’s greener will be a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
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Reblogged this on Healthy, Happy Living.
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