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There are no accidental victories. All who reach the summit do so by conscious choice. Life becomes a means to an ends defined in their own words, on their terms. Defining happiness is mandatory. Evading this responsibility sets life adrift without direction. Unnamed values can not be upheld, unknown goals can not be achieved, and an undefined empire can not be defended.

Understanding precedes achievement. Knowing which tree to climb and why is vastly more important than skill at climbing. A personal definition of happiness is your guide. It sets goals and directs action towards achievement. To be effective, it must be founded upon a clear definition of value - why must precede how, want must precede have.

Purpose is not automatic. As animals, our natural purpose is survival. As man, the only animal capable of reason, all purpose is an act of choice. Breathing, living, and feeling are automatic elements of life. The choice to coordinate those elements towards attainment of your specific happiness to be a scholar, to be rich, to be a father is voluntary.

Failure is an accumulation of compromises. It is made possible by a willingness to accept less despite conscious recognition that acceptance contradicts achievement. The byproduct - unhappiness - is the result of a choice without regard for value. Your conscious definition of happiness is the basis for valuation. It defines what you want and why you want it.

Victory over self is a product of reason. Physical, emotional, and intellectual talents are tools of achievement for the thinking mind. Summing their combined power towards the attainment of happiness is an act of choice. It is a uniquely individual responsibility. Live for yourself, as a mountain among men, and allow the sun to rise within the infinite beauty of your horizon.

~Dedicated to the next level

Learn more about this author, Matthew Leaper.
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