! Living Versus Existing
Irish writer and poet, Oscar Wilde, once said "To live is the rarest thing in the world.
Most people exist, that is all." To many, living the "good life" would mean being successful,
having a sustainable career, getting married, or even having children. To me, living life to its
fullest means to be honest, have an excellent work ethic and to maintain strong relationships with
friends and family. In order to achieve these goals one must posses qualities such as loyalty,
responsibility, truthfulness and having the strength to never give up. Altogether, these objectives
are what should be important to live a happy and successful life.
Foremost, having an honest lifestyle and being honest to yourself and others is a vital part
of living a happy life. If a person is honest, they allow themselves to build trustworthy and
fulfilling relationships with peers, friends, family members, co-workers and classmates. In 1894,
Mark Twain noted, "If you tell the truth you do not have to remember anything." Twain
expressed that when a person tells a lie, they are burdened with the obligation of remembering
the details of their fiction. Moreover, not having to lie continuously can reduce stress by
eliminating any responsibility to carry on lies. Being dishonest requires a person to pay more
attention to details and have the ability to remember past lies. People who are more honest are
able to feel less overwhelmed and relaxed. Above all, people have a moral obligation to be
honest and truthful to one another.
In addition to being honest, a good work ethic is an important skill to maintain in order to
have a fulfilling life. To have an excellent work ethic means to possess a positive attitude
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towards work and a willingness to complete difficult tasks.