Valentine's Day: The Love Dedication

A few years ago a journalist interviewed me for an article on the psychology of success. At the end of a very stimulating interview, the journalist asked if I would e-mail an answer to one final question: “What is your ultimate secret to success?”

After meditating for a while on my “ultimate secret of success,” I wrote something called the “Love Dedication.” This dedication appears in my book Success Intelligence. I thought it might be a good idea to share it again today, on Valentine's Day.


Before you dedicate your life
to a person, a marriage, a family;
to a corporation, a political party,
a peace campaign;
to a religion, a revolution, a
spiritual path;
make one other dedication first.
First dedicate yourself to LOVE.
Decide to let Love be your
intention, your purpose and
your point.
And then let Love inspire you,
support you, and guide you
in every other dedication
you make thereafter.

Success Intelligence: Your Real Work

On January 28th-30th, I co-facilitated with Ben Renshaw and Avril Carson a public workshop called Success Intelligence: Living a Life you Love. Approximately 50 people attended the workshop. They were from all walks of life including media, politics, art, health-care, education, and business. For three days, we immersed ourselves in a rich inquiry into the nature of authentic success.

In the week before the workshop, I came across some words attributed to Roger Ebert. They read: “What you do instead of your work is your real work.” These words made me stop in my tracks. I felt an uneasy sensation in my stomach. At the same time a loud “bong” sounded off inside my head, one like you hear at the start of a Universal Pictures movie. I used Roger’s words to do an on-the-spot inventory on my life. The first question on my inventory was: What is the real work of my life?

In the Success Intelligence workshop, I shared Roger Ebert’s words with the group. Together we embarked up on an inquiry into the real work of our lives. We all acknowledged that it is so easy in our manic society, with our busy lifestyles, and our hyperactive work cultures, to confuse busyness with purpose, adrenalin with wisdom, and activity with genuine accomplishment. And, therefore, the question What is the real work of my life? is imperative.

On the final afternoon of the 3-day workshop, we shared with each other our personal visions for what is our real work. The sharings were moving, emotional, honest, and inspiring. We were teachers to one another. And we all, in some way, gained courage, hope, and clarity about what is meaningful success, valuable success, and real success.

I invite you to take a few minutes to stop the work you are doing and inquire, What is the real work of my life? Think about not just your job of work, but also your family, YOU, your spiritual faith, and your life as a whole.

What is the real work of your life?


P.S. Due to the high interest in this workshop, we will be hosting another one later this year, in the Autumn. Dates will be announced shortly.