Want to be happy and successful?

  • Published
  • By Col. Douglas Wilson
  • 48th Dental Squaadron
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  One of the greatest things about being a dentist in the Air Force is getting to talk to so many interesting people. I extracted a tooth for a retired Army gentleman who came into the service as a private in WWII and retired as the Army Chief of Staff. I fixed a broken tooth for a retired master sergeant that worked for the central intelligence agency. He offered me a real shrunken head from his collection, which he claimed to have smuggled into the country from New Guinea in a diplomatic pouch...I declined. I even did a root canal on an Air Force counter terrorist specialist who helped catch Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, commonly known as "Carlos the Jackal."

In talking to these people and tens of thousands of others, I have found several principles present in happy, motivated people. I turned these principles into my five principles of success. It's not rocket science, and I'm sure you've heard them before, but perhaps my slant will resonate with you.

Always do the right thing. Mark Twain said, "Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest." Doing the right thing builds credibility and integrity. Neither credibility nor integrity can be bought. They can only be earned, and once lost, are difficult, if not impossible, to regain. You are responsible for what you do, so always do the right thing.

Life is not a lottery. A successful life is not due to luck; it's due to sound decisions. Life is composed of a series of choices. Make them wisely. You can choose long-term goals, building good relationships and character as a productive member of society. Choosing the short-sighted view of instant gratification will leave you fruitless and empty in the long run. Your background and circumstances may have influenced who you are, but you are responsible for who you become.

People are always more important than things. Cars rust, toys can be lost, and the person coming in behind you will do your job just fine when you leave. Family and friends will be around for a lifetime, so spend some time cultivating them. As the saying goes, "No one on his death bed says he wished he had spent more time at work." Spend time on things that really matter.

Bloom where you are planted. The world abounds with beauty, limitless opportunities and tremendous cultural experiences, all for the taking. I occasionally speak to people who claim they don't enjoy living in England. I invariable ask them what it is they don't like. Usually, the answer is, "I miss Wal-Mart" or some similar response. They don't appreciate the privilege of living in a foreign country, and instead of focusing on the "haves," they concentrate on the "have nots." Make the most of where you are and the opportunities you have. Let new experiences shape who you are, and the memories you make will last a lifetime.

Many things in life are beyond your control, but you can always control your attitude. Attitude is a choice. Few things are easier to spot and are more contagious than a bad attitude; likewise, laughter is also contagious. Control your attitude or it will control you. You can get further in life with honey than you can with sour grapes.

Although these five principles to a happy, successful life are simple, they aren't always easy to follow. Pick one you need to work on and give it a go, and next time you need some dental work, ask for me. Maybe we can swap stories and you can be one of my most interesting patients of all time.