What are the biggest enemies of success?

 

Charlie Cox

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Recovering Self-DoubterJan 2

In his teens, Stephen King began writing stories and submitting them to magazines for publication.

The first was about a man attempting to counterfeit enough “Happy Stamps” to buy his mother a house. King sent the story to Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. The rejection slip arrived 3 weeks later. It wished him good luck and gave him one piece of advice.

Never staple manuscripts. Use paperclips instead.

He put a nail in the eaves above his desk and slipped the rejection slip onto it.

When the next rejection slip arrived, it went on the nail too.

By the time King was 14, the nail no longer supported the weight of the rejection slips, and he replaced it with a spike.

The more King wrote, the more rejection slips he received.

After a few more years, some of the slips returned with words of encouragement. The first read “This is good. Not for us, but good. You have talent. Submit again.”

King needed little encouragement to keep writing, but this was enough.

10 years later, he published his first novel, Carrie. Now, he’s one of the best-known and most successful writers in the world.

What was the secret to King’s success?

Persistence. Each rejection and failure only fueled the next story.

Maybe he had talent, more than most probably, maybe more than all of us. But talent wasn’t enough on its own. He wasn’t afraid of rejection; he wasn’t afraid of failure. If he had given up at the first, or even the 20th rejection slip, you and I wouldn’t know his name.

The greatest enemy of success is the fear of failure.

A grand strategy for the Philippines

 

BY RICHARD HEYDARIAN

JULY 14, 2026

Russia has only two allies—its Army and its Navy,” Czar Alexander III (1881-1894) infamously argued. “The others will go against us at the first opportunity.” More than a century later, it’s precisely the same unapologetically cynical, hopelessly self-help mindset that is driving Russia’s foreign policy. Spanning across 11 time zones and multiple continents, Russia is both a product of and in fear of imperial predation. Russia’s grand strategy, therefore, has been a bizarre form of aggressiveness driven by profound insecurity.

No matter how Putin and his impresarios seek to rationalize the ongoing war in Ukraine, the reality is that Russia is more isolated and enervated than ever. It has lost access to markets and technology in the West, and, worse, become dangerously dependent on China and India, its two biggest new markets. This is pure strategic folly since Russia could have become the ultimate ”swing state” of the 21st century. In the words of astute Russian analyst Alexander Gabuev: “Russia was well positioned to become a global power between East and West…”

In today’s impossibly complex, dangerously unpredictable, and increasingly multipolar world, however, ”grand strategy” is not the exclusive domain of major powers. If anything, less-than-great powers can and have every reason to develop their own versions. In the simplest terms, according to the political scientist Sulmaan Wasif Khan, grand strategy pertains to “the way in which [a state] marshals different forms of power to pursue national objectives.”

Lexie exits HYBE and Geffen's new girl group Saint Satine before debut

By Jonathan Hicap   

The companies announced on July 14 that they had mutually agreed to part ways with the Swedish trainee after extensive discussions about the group's future.

"Following extensive and thoughtful discussions with Lexie regarding the group's future activities, both parties have mutually agreed to part ways. While Lexie will no longer continue as a member of Saint Satine or as part of HxG, we sincerely wish her all the best in her future endeavors," HYBE and Geffen said in a statement.   

The companies added, "We kindly ask for your continued support for Saint Satine's upcoming activities, and HxG will continue to put our full support behind the group's path to debut."

Lexie also addressed fans on Instagram, saying the decision came down to differences in working styles.

"I have nothing but respect and appreciation for the team, but we have different ways of operating, and that's okay!" she wrote.

Saint Satine was formed through the audition program "World Scout: The Final Piece."  

In May, HYBE and Geffen introduced Sakura as the group's final member, completing the lineup with Emily from the United States, Samara from Brazil and Lexie.

With Lexie's departure, the group is expected to move forward as a trio unless a replacement member is announced before its planned debut in the second half of the year.

The exit is a significant development because lineup changes are relatively uncommon this close to a major group's debut, particularly for a project backed by HYBE—the company behind BTS, SEVENTEEN and LE SSERAFIM—and Geffen Records, which have positioned Saint Satine as a global girl group.    

Saint Satine (Instagram)

Lexie's message about her departure from Saint Satine (Instagram)

 

Alex Eala: I will continue to represent the Philippines in best way I can

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala delivers a speech during a homecoming reception hosted for her by President Marcos Jr. at the Malacañan Palace on July 13, 2026. (RTVM)

Fresh off her historic Wimbledon campaign, Filipina tennis ace and world No. 28 Alex Eala received a homecoming reception at Malacañang Palace, where she vowed to continue representing the Philippines to the best of her ability. Read more

What types of food should I avoid at night? 10 foods to avoid a lot before going to bed at night

 

There are foods that specialists strongly recommend to avoid at night before going to bed.

Reason: All the foods below, once eaten at night, can affect your body shape, your height and other vital parts of the body.

1. The cheese

The cheese is very easy to eat and contains fats.

It must be consumed in moderation.

it is high in saturated fat and cholesterol, and consuming it can increase your risk of heart disease.

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2. Citrus fruits

Too much fruit can lead to too much gas at night, and makes digestion more complicated by fermented sugar.

If you have to eat fruit before going to bed, try not to consume more than one cup.

3. Spicy food

Spicy or hot foods stimulate your senses, and they have the ability to give you heartburn or contribute to a stomach ache, and no one wants that once in bed.

4. Fatty foods

Pizza, burgers and potato fries are succulent but they are not good for your body at night.

They can disrupt your digestive system and make you gain weight.

You will feel uncomfortable the next day.

5. Red meats

Red meats are difficult to digest.

That's why you should not eat them at night.

It will be very difficult to fall asleep if you eat red meat directly before bedtime.

6. Cereals

It is very difficult to follow the recommendations of the departments responsible for cereals, so if you pay attention to your weight, it is better to eat them in the morning, but not late at night.

7. Vegetables

You are probably shocked that vegetables are on the list.

Some vegetables are not ideal to eat before going to bed.

Celery, for example, is a diuretic.

A diuretic increases the rate of urination.

It is counterproductive to eat these types of vegetables, because you will wake up more than usual at night to use the toilet instead of a good rest.

8. Junk food

French fries and salsa, popcorn, and all these other comfort foods.

Drop.

It does not help you sleep well, lose weight or be healthy.

9. Sweets, Desserts

Avoid this ice cream cone, the candy bar, or that piece of chocolate, because they are disruptive before bedtime!

Yes, these things can be considered comfort foods, but these same comfort foods are loaded with fat!

Sugar keeps you up too long!

This is not the type of combination you want while you have to go to bed!

10. The Bread

Unless you are trying to gain weight, eating bread before going to bed is not a good idea at all.

The carbohydrates in the bread can starve you at night, and make you eat too much.

Nächste Hiobsbotschaft nach Krebserkrankung: Torsten Sträter hat „unverhältnismäßig viel abgenommen“

Stand:11.07.2026, 13:59 Uhr

Waltrop – Als sich Torsten Sträter (59) nach seiner Krebsbehandlung wieder öffentlich zeigte, schrillten bei zahlreichen Fans die Alarmglocken: Der Komiker wirkte deutlich erschlankt. Hinter dem Gewichtsverlust steckt aber eine ganz andere Geschichte, die die Ärzte eher zufällig ans Licht brachten.   

Torsten Sträter macht Diabetes-Erkrankung öffentlich. (Archivbild) © Christian Charisius/dpa

Bei der Behandlung seines Tumors stießen die Mediziner nebenbei auf eine weitere Baustelle, wie er jetzt im „1LIVE Comedy-Talk“ mit Kollege Felix Lobrecht (37) erzählte. „Man hat parallel festgestellt, ich bin Diabetiker“, berichtet Sträter. Darauf ist auch der Gewichtsverlust zurückzuführen: „Seit ich aufgehört habe, Zucker zu essen, habe ich unverhältnismäßig viel abgenommen.“  

Zweite Diagnose bei Torsten Sträter: Diabetes als eigentlicher Grund des Gewichtsverlusts

Die Ernährungsumstellung hat seine Diabeteserkrankung seitdem spürbar gebessert. Mit der Krebserkrankung hat die Gewichtsabnahme also nichts zu tun, wie Torsten Sträter unbedingt klarstellen möchte. „Ich befinde mich auf dem Wege der Besserung und habe mich noch nie so gut gefühlt“, betonte er.

Seine Krebserkrankung hatte Sträter Mitte April 2026 öffentlich gemacht, nachdem er bereits zu Jahresbeginn etliche Auftritte hatte absagen müssen. Damals nahm er mit dem für ihn typischen lakonischen Humor die kursierenden Gerüchte über eine psychische Erkrankung aufs Korn: „Dummerweise ist es stattdessen ein Tumor“, schrieb er auf seiner Website.  eine Diagnose hatte er aber bereits vorher erhalten und brachte eine monatelange Behandlung inklusive Chemotherapie hinter sich. Schon im Mai konnte er dann auf die Bühne zurückkehren. Er habe sehr gute Ärzte und damit „großes Glück“ gehabt, berichtete Sträter erleichtert, der trotz Tumordiagnose an der siebten „LOL“-Staffel teilnahm. Verwendete Quellen: „Sträter & Lobrecht · 1LIVE Comedy-Talk“, torsten-straeter.de

Bittere Falle kurz vor dem Ruhestand: Wer diese Renten-Frist verpasst, geht leer aus

Stand:13.07.2026, 15:13 Uhr

Von: Carmen Mörwald

Beim Thema Rente gibt es mehr zu beachten, als viele denken. Werden typische Fehler vermieden, winkt im Ruhestand deutlich mehr Geld.

München – Wer kurz vor dem Ruhestand steht, denkt oft: Rente beantragen, fertig. Doch das kann teuer werden. Denn die gesetzliche Rente wird nicht automatisch ausgezahlt. Wer wichtige Fristen verpasst oder Unterlagen falsch ausfüllt, verliert bares Geld. Mit dem richtigen Wissen lassen sich jedoch typische Fallstricke vermeiden und 

Wer sich dem Ruhestand nähert, sollte die Rentenauskunft gründlich prüfen. (Symbolbild) © Fernando Gutierrez-Juarez/dpa

Einer der verbreitetsten Irrtümer: Viele Versicherte glauben, die Rente werde mit Erreichen des Renteneintrittsalters automatisch überwiesen. Das ist falsch. Wie die Deutsche Rentenversicherung (DRV) betont, muss der Rentenantrag aktiv gestellt werden – und das mindestens drei Monate vor dem gewünschten Rentenbeginn. So schreibt es das Gesetz vor. Wer zu spät beantragt, bekommt die Rente erst ab dem Antragsmonat. Fehlende Monate werden in der Regel nicht nachgezahlt.  

Kontenklärung: Lücken im Versicherungsverlauf können Rente schmälern

Ein weiterer kritischer Punkt ist die sogenannte Kontenklärung. Sie betrifft alle Menschen, die Anspruch auf eine gesetzliche Rente haben. Dabei wird geprüft, ob alle rentenrechtlichen Zeiten – also Arbeitsjahre, Schul- und Studienzeiten, Kindererziehungszeiten – vollständig im Versicherungskonto erfasst sind. Laut der DRV meldet sich die Behörde zwar ab dem 43. Lebensjahr bei Versicherten, doch jeder kann auch selbst jederzeit einen Antrag auf Kontenklärung stellen.

„Wenn Sie zur Schule gegangen sind, studiert oder eine Ausbildung absolviert haben, krank oder arbeitslos waren oder Kinder erzogen haben“, zählt Barbara Bückmann, Redakteurin bei der Zeitschrift Finanztest auf. „All diese Zeiten wirken sich positiv auf die Berechnung aus. Die bringen nicht unbedingt Punkte, erhöhen aber Ihren Rentenwert.“ Das Problem: Nicht alle Zeiten liegen der DRV automatisch und korrekt vor. Mit der Kontenklärung weisen Versicherte möglichst durchgängig alle Stationen nach. „Sie sollten sagen können, was Sie in welcher Zeit gemacht haben, und das auch belegen können.“