The mistake you make, don't you see,is in thinking one can live in a corrupt society without being corrupt oneself. After all, what do you achieve by refusing to make money? You're trying to behave as though one could stand right outside our economic system. But one can't. One's got to change the system, or one changes nothing. One can't put things right in a hole-and-corner way, if you take my meaning.

It is hard to see how a great man can be an atheist. Without the sustaining influence of faith in a divine power we could have little faith in ourselves. We need to feel that behind us is intelligence and love. Doubters do not achieve; skeptics do not contribute; cynics do not create. Faith is the great motive power, and no man realizes his full possibilities unless he has the deep conviction that life is eternally important, and that his work, well done, is a part of an unending plan.

What if we changed the story that has been peddled to us over thousands of years by those religions that want to control us, that this life is merely a stepping stone to something better or something worse, and that we can only achieve the better by passing through the doors of their institutions and following their rules? What if we trash this arcane story which has caused so much suffering and hostility, and accept that we have already arrived in heaven and that there is nothing more gorgeous than here and now?

We know – it has been measured in many experiments – that children with strong impulse control grow to be better adjusted, more dependable, achieve higher grades in school and college and have more success in their careers than others. Success depends on the ability to delay gratification, which is precisely what a consumerist culture undermines. At every stage, the emphasis is on the instant gratification of instinct. In the words of the pop group Queen, “I want it all and I want it now.” A whole culture is being infantilised.

In spite of this, there is no doubt that the modern European and American system of universal education suffered from serious defects. In the first place, the achievement of universality was purchased by the substitution of quantitative for qualitative standards. Education was accepted as a good in itself and the main question was how to increase the total output: how to teach more and more people more and more subjects for longer and longer periods. But in proportion as education became universal, it became cheapened. Instead of being regarded as the privilege of a few it became a compulsory routine for everybody.

The more a person knows the less they talk. I shall cease speaking and endeavor to instill a large band of silence inside myself in order to forge a deeper and closer relationship with all of nature. Only when I attain absolute quietude shall I understand the supreme virtue of humanity and understand the meaning of both life and death. Only when I achieve absolute stillness shall I come to a perfect realization of the meaning of existence innate in all things.

To all the students - no school report card can tell you weather you can achieve your dream or not. Know your purpose, know your dream, know your vision, stay focused, do your job and do not listen to anyone including your report card. Don’t let the board results or rankings bother you. Do what you are passionate about, work harder, do better but don’t let your mark sheet tell you anything.

“It's quite the opposite, ... They've risen up the corporate ladder and achieved some success, they're happy with what they've accomplished at work, they've had their children, and now there's this 'Now what?' question. 'Do I want something more? Different? What do I want that's going to give me a sense of meaning and purpose?' I've actually had patients make radical changes. One woman left her job as CEO of a company and opened a craft shop.”

“It's quite the opposite. They've risen up the corporate ladder and achieved some success, they're happy with what they've accomplished at work, they've had their children, and now there's this 'Now what?' question. 'Do I want something more? Different? What do I want that's going to give me a sense of meaning and purpose?' I've actually had patients make radical changes. One woman left her job as CEO of a company and opened a craft shop.”

“Javier has a proven track record of success, and I am confident that he will be a strong leader for Europe during this critical period. Under his leadership, Latin America has achieved significant growth. As head of the European Customer Group, he was instrumental in driving Europe's adoption of MasterCard's customer-focused strategy, which has set us apart from the competition and provided a platform to demonstrate our ability to deliver truly pan-European, globally competitive payment systems.”