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Jose Ortega y Gasset - Philosophy and SuccessJose Ortega y Gasset - Philosophy and Success

 

Jose Ortega y Gasset (1883-1955)

 

Spanish philosopher (pictured right) who challenges you to change your life and circumstances.

 

His most famous book is...

Meditations on Quixote (1914)

 

What does he teach us about success?

 Jose Ortega y Gasset - Philosophy and Success

1. Change your circumstances

"I am myself and my circumstances", Gasset said.

So you can only succeed by creating opportunities for improvement through changing your circumstances (how we live and think).

 

2. Hope is heaven

Every act of hope (like love) is vital to improving your life and circumstances.

Gasset called such hope the vital reason in action.Jose Ortega y Gasset - Philosophy and Success

 

3. Don't be fatalistic

Be positive and believe that you can change, improve and exploit new opportunities.

 

4. Think wellJose Ortega y Gasset - Philosophy and Success

You must think well to change successfully.

So discard in your thinking:

  • false assumptions.
  • prejudices.
  • bad habits.

 

5. Be different

  • don't live like everybody else.
  • use the “energy of life” to strive for something uniquely worthwhile and good.
  • be inspired by a vision (or future ideal).
  • re-examine your beliefs and assumptions. 

 Jose Ortega y Gasset - Philosophy and Success

6. Self-examination for success

Discover what you need to change by reflecting on your weaknesses and problems.

 

7. Change v. circumstances

Life is a constant battle between:

  • changing for future success
  • being held back by the limitations of your circumstances and negative thinking.

So life is a series of collisions with the future.

 Jose Ortega y Gasset - Philosophy and Success

8. Spirituality through service

A spiritual (and so joyful) life is a self-disciplined pursuit of ever higher standards of service to others.

 

Key quote on change

Life is fired at us point blank.

 

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