“The Power of Purpose: Living Well by Doing Good”
by Peter S. Temes (Harmony, $24)
Peter Temes, a former professor at Harvard and Columbia Universities, says the key to happiness in life is helping others succeed, either on the job or at home. The lives and words of Plato, Abraham Lincoln and Michael Jordan add depth to a thoughtful work that’s part self-help book, part business book.
1. Many people see life through two prisms: “How do I feel about myself?” or “How do others feel about me?”
2. Temes says we need to get beyond that and ask: “How do others feel about themselves?”
3. Even Mother Teresa was ambitious–in a good way, with noble goals.
4. A leap of faith is often necessary for true success. “We make some decisions not based on reason but based on feelings of the heart … feelings like love, loyalty and inspiration.”
5. “When we discover what our neighbors care about and put effort into learning and caring about the same things … we give a gift often more important than money.”