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Articles from Ronald Ross | Selfgrowth.com
- Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 18 Utopianism - by Submitted on Mar 27, 2021 from Ronald RossWe all search for a little heaven on earth, but so far, no one’s found it. We want to live in a place where we are safe, comfortable, and content, but it won’t be found on this planet. Some claim the earliest Christians were utopian socialists because they had “all things in common.” (Acts 2 ...
Views: 532 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 17 - MATERIALISM - by Submitted on Mar 20, 2021 from Ronald RossMaterialism is a philosophical theory that matter is the only substance, and reality and everything else — thought, emotions, intellect, and existence — are explained in terms of physical phenomena on matter. Do not confuse materialism with stuff-ism — the constant acquisition of possessions — ...
Views: 779 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 16 - It'll-do-ism - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2021 from Ronald Ross"It'll-do-ism" is the belief that good enough is good enough. It is the opposite of perfectionism (Bad Belief System #5). The day I turned 16-years old, I already knew how to drive, so I got my driver's license. I wasn't a very good driver (though I thought I was), but I was good ...
Views: 626 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 14 TOMORROW-ISM - by Submitted on Mar 04, 2021 from Ronald RossTomorrow-ism and procrastinationitis are two words I've created to refer to the habit of putting off until tomorrow that which can (should) be done today. You suffer from procrastinationitis if you think, "Tomorrow I'll spend more time with my children" or "Tomorrow I'll work on being a better ...
Views: 608 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 14 ESCAPISM - by Submitted on Feb 26, 2021 from Ronald RossIf you want to escape reality, you have a lot of help. There are many industries ready to free your mind as they take your money — the gaming-industry is one of them. The global video game revenue was around $180 billion in 2020, making it a bigger moneymaker than the worldwide movie and North ...
Views: 515 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 13 - REGRETISM - by Submitted on Dec 17, 2020 from Ronald RossDo you have a long list of stupid things you’ve said and done? Yeah, me too. Then, if you’re like me, you have the harmful habit of constantly re-experiencing those thoughtless and injurious acts of idiocy. And when we do, we focus on the fault and re-experience the pain. In the process, we ...
Views: 947 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 12 Cynicism - by Submitted on Dec 10, 2020 from Ronald RossCynicism is the presumption that no one or anything should ever be trusted. Cynics suffer a gloomy outlook and a sarcastic tongue; they are the opposite of cheerfulness and respect. A cynical person is filled with bitterness, speaks with malice, and suspects even the most honorable people. It ...
Views: 776 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 11: Criticalism - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2020 from Ronald RossNo one likes a critic, but that doesn't stop many who criticize darn near everything that happens. Those folks suffer from a belief system that is personally and socially destructive. They believe that nothing is ever right or good enough. There are two kinds of critics – the kind we're most ...
Views: 557 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 10 Humanism - by Submitted on Nov 20, 2020 from Ronald RossThose who believe in Humanism advocate a doctrine that allows them to engage in anything which the human body may desire. They tolerate immorality, advocate abortion up to and including the ninth month, and support euthanasia, homosexuality, adultery, and any variety of invented "gender" ...
Views: 657 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 9 Stuff-ism - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2020 from Ronald RossIf stuff-ism were a religion, the local self-storage rental facility would be the place of worship. In America today, there are 1.7 billion square feet of self-storage space for rent. Most of the sites run at a consistent 90% occupancy with an individual monthly fee of around $90. Why do ...
Views: 732 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 8 FUTILISM - by Submitted on Nov 05, 2020 from Ronald RossFutilism believes that life is meaningless, all religious beliefs are fantasies, and moral principles are pointless. Like nihilists, futilists allege that you have no particular purpose for living because life itself is empty, trivial, and spurious. It is literally a dead-end philosophy – life ...
Views: 824 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 7 FAILURE-ISM - by Submitted on Oct 29, 2020 from Ronald Ross"Failure-ism" is a word I invented to describe the belief that everything you do ultimately fails. You can recognize this flawed belief system in a person when they say things like, "I'm just a loser" and "Nothing I try ever works." Unfortunately, each of us has evidence to prove we fail. ...
Views: 1086 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 6 FATALISM - by Submitted on Oct 22, 2020 from Ronald RossSpanish soccer player David Silva said, "Winners don't believe in fate like others do. They simply can't accept defeat." Mr. Silva would agree that fatalism is a bad idea you must lose if you want to win. If you believe in fate, you will never do the work that must be done to succeed at ...
Views: 1033 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 5 Perfectionism - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2020 from Ronald RossAs a kid, I was not too fond of report cards. My mother never saved a one (thankfully). Perfectionism is a never-ending, never good enough report card on who you are and what you do and say. It's "a personality trait characterized by high expectations and standards." (Psychology Today) ...
Views: 572 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 4 Aloof-ism and Excuse-ism - by Submitted on Oct 10, 2020 from Ronald RossTwo extremes can invade your thought process and cause you to lose your battle with self and others. One says, “I don’t care,” and the other says, “It’s not my fault.” Aloof-ism is a word I created that refers to the mental and emotional escape route for any personal responsibility revealed ...
Views: 646 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 3 - by Submitted on Oct 01, 2020 from Ronald RossOpinionism and Stupidism Here are two "belief systems," Opinionism and Stupidism, that will not be found in any dictionary. I've defined these as belief systems out of seven decades of observation of humanity. It seems to me (my opinion) that there are two kinds of opinionism that are ...
Views: 524 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 2: Hedonism & Narcissism - by Submitted on Sep 24, 2020 from Ronald RossTwo destructive dogmas popular today are hedonism and narcissism. Hedonism is a socially destructive ethical theory that asserts pleasure is the highest good and proper aim of human life. If you've heard someone whine, "But I just want to have fun," or, "I just want to be happy," they are ...
Views: 583 - Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN: Socialism - by Submitted on Sep 17, 2020 from Ronald RossYou've heard of such interesting words as magnetism, tourism, and individualism. Recently, I asked myself, "What precisely is an ism?" Dictionary.com had the answer: an –ism is a suffix added to the end of a word to indicate that the word represents a specific practice, system, or philosophy. ...
Views: 628 - Five Forces That Hinder or Enhance Togetherness: Part 6 - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2020 from Ronald Ross"NO TRESPASSING.” Secreting of the true self: Fear, sin, low self-esteem, insecurities, etc. cause us to hide/protect our true self. My college roommate (who was raised by a single mom) and I shared many secrets. We were so close that we were the "Best Man" at each other's wedding. One day ...
Views: 692 - Five Forces That Hinder or Enhance Togetherness: Part 5 - by Submitted on Sep 04, 2020 from Ronald Ross“Everyone in your family is a _________.” Cultural/social differences “Ron, would you like to knock me up?” a rather shy single female British schoolteacher asked me one afternoon. I was puzzled by her request but sat quietly for a few moments until I figured out what she meant, and it wasn’t ...
Views: 850 - Five Forces That Hinder or Enhance Togetherness - Part 4 - by Submitted on Aug 27, 2020 from Ronald Ross“We seem to be growing apart.” “Whatever happened between you and Sharon?” I asked Sharon’s ex-husband. "Oh, she’s moved back to Phoenix with her sister.” I remained silent to give my friend time to say more. He sighed heavily and said, “We just seemed to grow apart over the ...
Views: 727 - Five Forces That Hinder or Enhance Togetherness: Part 3 - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2020 from Ronald RossPart Three: “Why do you act like that?” Lifetime experiences Education. How were you educated: homeschooled, private school, parochial school, or public school? How did your teachers and coaches treat you? Were you a part of the in-crowd or not? Was school easy or difficult for you? Who were ...
Views: 672 - Five Forces That Hinder or Enhance Togetherness - Part 2 - by Submitted on Aug 09, 2020 from Ronald RossPart 2. Mud Puddles and Patent Leather Shoes Or, “You’re not like me.” Innate Differences A handsome young couple with two children walked out of church just after a rainstorm left several puddles in the parking lot. Their 2-year-old son let go of his mother’s hand and went immediately for ...
Views: 679 - Five Forces That Hinder or Enhance Togetherness - Part 1 - by Submitted on Aug 01, 2020 from Ronald RossFive Forces That Hinder or Enhance Togetherness A six-part series of articles about improving your love relationship Part 1. The Phantom Speaks for All of Us Toward the end of The Phantom of the Opera, the Phantom finally captures his not-so-secret love Christine and takes her to his ...
Views: 581 - How to Express Anger Without Getting Arrested - Part 2 - by Submitted on Jul 23, 2020 from Ronald RossThe best way to deal with anger (discussed in Part 1) is to learn how to effectively SPEAK OUT your anger without shouting, cursing, complaining, hiding, punching, seething, or running. Here’s how: S-P-E-A-K; it’s an acrostic for the appropriate expression of anger. S—SUPERVISE YOURSELF ...
Views: 638 - How to Express Your Anger Without Getting Arrested - Part 1 - by Submitted on Jul 16, 2020 from Ronald RossMy neighbor came charging across the street. His eyes bulged out, and his fists clenched as he came screaming into my yard, “Why the *&^%$ did you call the cops on me?” “Because you cannot keep your dogs from barking, and the entire neighborhood is fed up with it,” I said in as quiet a voice ...
Views: 696 - How to Get Some R-E-S-P-E-C-T - by Submitted on Jun 11, 2020 from Ronald RossAretha Franklin sings about it, Rodney Dangerfield complains he doesn’t get any at all, and the rest of us would appreciate a little more of that curious thing called respect. Some say that every human owes every other human a measure of respect. But are we obligated to respect everyone? ...
Views: 710 - Humor is Better than Exercise! - by Submitted on Jul 25, 2019 from Ronald RossReason #2 God Gave Us Humor: Humor is Better than Exercise! By Ron Ross You may have read the meme, “Rabbits jump, and they live eight years. Dogs run, and they live 15 years, turtles do nothing, and they live for 150 years. Lesson learned.” Or how about this one: “A balanced diet is ...
Views: 673 - Thirteen Reasons God Gave Us Humor Reason 1: Humor Fights Disease - by Submitted on Jul 15, 2019 from Ronald RossWhere did the idea come from that laughter is the best medicine? King Solomon, considered one of the wisest men who ever lived, may be the source. He didn’t say that laughter was the “best” medicine, but he did say, “A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you ...
Views: 658 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 23 - by Submitted on Oct 24, 2016 from Ronald RossTwenty Tips for Lively Living By Dr. Ron Ross Tips 1 – 10 were previously printed; here are tips 11 – 20. Be sure to read the special offer at the end of the column. 11. Persevere. Difficulties are sure to come, some failure is likely, but anything worth having is worth working for. As ...
Views: 851 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 22 - by Submitted on Oct 17, 2016 from Ronald RossTwenty Tips for Lively Living By Dr. Ron Ross The following are ten of the Twenty Tips for Lively Living. Next week the final ten tips! 1. Clear the cobwebs. Sure you have heartaches, bad experiences and grief, but so does everyone else. If you dwell on the dark side of life you’ll ...
Views: 980 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 21 - by Submitted on Oct 10, 2016 from Ronald RossFail Forward By Dr. Ron Ross You may be stuck in the mud because of some kind of failure. Perhaps you bet the family farm on a business idea and lost. Or maybe you lost an important client or you were recently fired from a good job. Maybe you have failed in a relationship that has you ...
Views: 847 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 20 - by Submitted on Oct 03, 2016 from Ronald RossHelp Someone Else By Dr. Ron Ross When you’re stuck in the mud you are totally focused on your own miserable situation. You pay little attention to the pain or despair of anyone else. You think you are the only person with a problem like this and that it is the worst that it could possibly ...
Views: 938 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 19 - by Submitted on Sep 26, 2016 from Ronald RossThink About What You Think About By Dr. Ron Ross The trip to Santa Monica (California) Beach was supposed to be fun; but for this six-year-old boy from Colorado, it was not. I had never seen an ocean, did not know how to swim, and after I waded a few steps into the gentle waves discovered ...
Views: 857 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 18 - by Submitted on Sep 19, 2016 from Ronald RossLearn the Laws of the Farmer By Dr. Ron Ross Over one hundred years ago my grandfather homesteaded on a quarter section of land near Deer Trail, Colorado. On his treeless high-prairie land about 50 miles east of Denver he built a sod hut for him and his horse, then planted a crop of pinto ...
Views: 894 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 17 - by Submitted on Sep 12, 2016 from Ronald RossMake a List of Ten By Dr. Ron Ross Getting something done usually starts with a list. Wives make “honey-do-lists” for their husbands and “to-do” lists are a staple on every busy person’s desktop. Before you leave on your vacation you make a list of everything you want to take with ...
Views: 877 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 16 - by Submitted on Sep 05, 2016 from Ronald RossKeep Watch By Dr. Ron Ross The clock on my dashboard said 7:28, my watch said 7:31, and my cell phone said 7:33. I wondered out loud, “Am I going to be two minutes early or three minutes late?” I parked my car, grabbed my briefcase, and jogged toward the office building. As I ran, it ...
Views: 916 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 15 - by Submitted on Aug 29, 2016 from Ronald RossGet Rid of Impatience FAST! By Dr. Ron Ross Nearly every serious mistake I have made in my life (and I’ve made many) was the result of my restless desire for change and stimulation. My impatience has cost me good jobs, financial opportunities, professional advancement, and more. Most of ...
Views: 813 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 14 - by Submitted on Aug 22, 2016 from Ronald RossPut Your Best Face Forward By Dr. Ron Ross The first thing people notice about you is your face. Its expression tells others whether you are friend or foe, trustworthy or not, happy or sad, etc. It is the initial mode of nonverbal communication between you and other people. What does your ...
Views: 906 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 13 - by Submitted on Aug 15, 2016 from Ronald RossGet Better At Something By Dr. Ron Ross A man who worked in a rock quarry for several years one day decided to become an attorney. He talked to his wife and kids about his dream to get away from the dirty, backbreaking work in the quarry and get a college education. They got behind the ...
Views: 888 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 12 - by Submitted on Aug 08, 2016 from Ronald RossThink Possibilities By Dr. Ron Ross Born in Ireland in 1884, child prodigy William Thomson was enrolled in Glasgow University at age ten. He became an accomplished mathematician, astronomer, chemist, and physicist who made a significant contribution to the laying of the transatlantic cable ...
Views: 805 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 11 - by Submitted on Aug 01, 2016 from Ronald RossAvoid Trifling Conversation By Dr. Ron Ross The Ellen DeGeneres show was on the TV when I walked into a waiting room. I had to listen to it because, well, because it was on and I had to wait. I didn’t want to hear it so I did my best to tune out her inane conversation with some celebrity. ...
Views: 786 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 10 - by Submitted on Jul 25, 2016 from Ronald RossDon’t Trust Dumb Luck By Dr. Ron Ross Are you lucky or unlucky? Do good things usually happen to you or are you a constant victim of trials and tribulations? Do you get the good breaks or are you always broke? If you want to be lucky then you might be interested to know that both ...
Views: 856 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 9 - by Submitted on Jul 04, 2016 from Ronald RossEliminate the Twin Killers of Success Part 2 By Dr. Ron Ross Many worthy goals, promising relationships, and terrific business ideas are ruined by the Twin Killers of Success: Speed and Greed. Last week the focus was on speed, this week on greed. Let’s start with what greed is not. ...
Views: 945 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 8 - by Submitted on Jun 27, 2016 from Ronald RossEliminate the Twin Killers of Success Part 1 By Dr. Ron Ross Many worthy goals, promising relationships, and terrific business ideas are ruined by the Twin Killers of Success: speed and greed. This week the focus is on speed (impatience), next week on greed. A cute little girl in “Willy ...
Views: 870 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 7 - by Submitted on Jun 20, 2016 from Ronald RossWork on List Three By Dr. Ron Ross Everyone keeps three silent lists deep within their heart. The first is a list of the things we’ve done for which we are ashamed. For some of us it’s a long list: people we’ve disappointed, friends we’ve hurt, selfish things we’ve done, words we ...
Views: 779 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 6 - by Submitted on Jun 13, 2016 from Ronald RossIgnore Insults By Dr. Ron Ross There was a day when intelligent people could insult each other with some real class. The story is told that playwright George Bernard Shaw disliked Winston Churchill so he sent him an invitation to the opening night of his new play with this note: “I’m ...
Views: 943 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 5 - by Submitted on Jun 06, 2016 from Ronald RossFear Not By Ron Ross Belize is a small country located on the southern border of Mexico. My wife and I went there a few years ago to look at some land and buildings offered to us at a bargain price. We rented a car and drove to the property but once we saw it the reason for our trip was ...
Views: 914 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 4 - by Submitted on May 30, 2016 from Ronald RossBegin Now By Ron Ross The easiest thing you can do if you’re stuck in the mud is to PROCRASTINATE! Do nothing. Just sit there and wallow in the sticky, putrid, dreary muck you have been comfortable in for years. After I earned my 4-year bachelor’s degree I wanted to get a master’s ...
Views: 822 - How to Wiggle Out of the Mud!- 3 - by Submitted on May 23, 2016 from Ronald RossSeven Sources of Self-Confidence By Ron Ross If God himself could give you a report on how much raw untapped talent lies within you, you would be embarrassed to ever whine or complain again. No matter how stuck in the mud you may be today, you have the capacity to summon empowering ...
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