Page 1- Foreword
Some 50 years ago, the Million Dollar Round Table, a worldwide organisation with representation in South Africa, was responsible for changing the “insurance sales person” – i.e. the Man from the Prudential carrying his briefcase, wearing his suit, was turned into a Professional which set the course for the future in gaining the public’s respect and trust that the person calling on them was not merely a product salesman, but a professionally qualified person who had your interests at heart, and wanted to partner with you for the rest of your life in all matters financial.
What was true in 1962, was true in 1996, 2006 and is still relevant today. As in Economics 101 the basic foundations of life/economy are laid out for you to follow in the footsteps of those before you….why? Because all these basic principles have stood the test of TIME. The solid foundations that were laid more than 50 years ago bore many fruits. From the post second world war generations onwards people became more aware of themselves, who they were and who they wanted to be. In the ensuing 59 years, all the doors have been opened and we are now living in the digital age where anything and everything is possible.
All you have to do is take the first step on your journey of life and be the best person you can possibly be. With grateful thanks to Dr Mortimer J Adler for pioneering and pointing the way for us to follow to become a “whole Person” and to the MDRT for the utilisation of the Whole Person Philosophy. Read on.
In 1962 the famous author and philosopher Mortimer J Adler was invited to speak at the Annual Meeting of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) in the USA. Dr Adler’s presentation was entitled, “The Parts Of Life.” It was the spark for a new idea in the MDRT called the “Whole Person Philosophy.” The transcription of Dr Adler’s speech, The Parts of Life, is included in the summary of the whole program in a later section.
Dr Adler’s message was very simple: there are a great many facets to life besides the professional one. He pointed out that “work”, the professional aspect of our lives, is necessary so that we may literally stay alive. It provides us with the means to obtain food and shelter.
However, there is more to life than just providing for our subsistence, Dr Adler emphasised. He referred to these other elements of life as “play, leisure, and rest” and took great pains to explain the meaning of each because they are very different. He asserted that while the professional aspect of our lives allows us to live, the other dimensions of life allow us to live well. They allow us to reach our full potential as human beings and will lead to significant, happy and fulfilling lives. To Dr Adler, the balanced pursuit of work, play, leisure and rest makes us whole persons.
It became clear that each person’s understanding of the meaning “whole person” has both universal aspects, and personal, highly unique aspects which at times make the meaning ambiguous. It became obvious that there are a great many valid ways to describe a whole person. Most of them point towards living a life of significance, happiness and fulfilment. Further, most emphasise that striving to be a whole person is a continual process of growth, a Lifetime Journey – Circle of Life. So, a full description of the Whole Person had to be created that would sufficiently embody both the universal and personal dimensions of the Whole Person Philosophy.
In time a description evolved which states that life can be divided into seven areas which, incidentally, encompass those “parts of life” of which Dr Adler speaks. These areas are: Family, Health, Education, Career, Service, Financial, and Spiritual. When we live lives with appropriate balance among these areas, we are on the road to becoming Whole Persons.
As a postscript to this view of the whole life, a symbol was devised to remind us of the seven areas of life and show how they intertwine each other in our daily living. A symbol of seven rings was chosen, one ring for each area, grouped so that each ring loops through the other six, interlocking each of the seven areas into one whole.
Our hope is that this Program will challenge you to begin the journey down the road leading to the balanced life of a Whole Person and the happiness this can bring.