Sunday Supplement #118 (August 13th, 2023)
Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.
Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!
Quote of the Week:
“Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.”
– Mark Twain
Book of the Week:
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
F. Scott Fitzgerald is considered one of the greatest American writers, and his novel The Great Gatsby is one of the great classics of American literature.
I read The Great Gatsby in high school and knew even then that I was reading a brilliant novel that stood out across time.
The novel follows the narrator Nick Carraway’s recounting of his interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and the socialites of Long Island in the 1920s.
Gatsby throws lavish parties in the new-rich town of West Egg, hoping his long-lost love from the fashionable West Egg will one day attend.
The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite novels of all time and, in my opinion, should be a book on everyone’s reading list.
Movie of the Week:
Shattered Glass tells the story of a young journalist of The New Republic magazine, who fell from grace when it was discovered he fabricated over half his articles.
Hayden Christensen stars in the leading role of Stephen Glass. He became famous because of the Star Wars prequels, but he shines in some of his lesser-known films like this one.
The supporting cast of Peter Sarsgaard, Chloë Sevigny, Rosario Dawson, Melanie Lynsey, Hank Azaria, and Steve Zahn also put in great performances.
Bill Ray directed and co-wrote the film based on the article written by Buzz Bissinger. The final result is a brilliant little film well worth checking out if you haven’t seen it.
Brainfood of the Week:
The Power of Ambition | Jim Rohn | Let’s Become Successful
This video starts with Jim Rohn discussing how ambition differs from greed and how ambition is an activated desire to achieve.
Rohn goes on to discuss self-interest versus selfishness. Much of our behavior comes from a place of self-interest, but what makes it different from selfishness is that it is not coming at the expense of others.
Let’s Become Successful hosts this video and is a team of motivation enthusiasts who want to provide videos that will help inspire.
I’ve featured Jim Rohn in one other Sunday Supplement and am a fan of his work.
Check out this video and see if you want to explore more of Rohn’s work or other Let’s Become Successful videos.
Closing Spiritual Passage:
“Perform your duty equipoised, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.”
– Bhagavad Gita 2:48
This passage from the Bhagavad Gita reminds me to operate from a place of balanced expectations.
Being ambitious and excited about what you are doing/working on is a great source to tap into, but failure shouldn’t derail you, either.
Failure can be a lesson and a motivator to improve and continue. Equally, getting too attached to success can lead to the avoidance of challenging endeavors.
The last part of the passage defines yoga as operating from a place of balance. For those who don’t know, yoga isn’t only a physical exercise; it is also a state of being.
Achieve your dreams, stay balanced, and have a blessed week ahead!