Category: Book Summary

A book (📕 / 🎧) by Laura Vanderkam

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Have yourself a mindful morning

Many of us often feel that mornings slip away without accomplishing much. Laura Vanderkam acknowledges this state of helplessness, where we have our sights on the clock but tackle less essential activities. Eventually, we sacrifice important, perhaps life-changing, endeavors.

Drawing from her personal experience, Laura Vanderkam cites the challenges she faces every morning as a mother and a career woman. Juggling her responsibilities on both fronts, she strives to develop the right state of mind. Like her, we encounter the same problems daily. Even when we get to work in the morning, we cannot help wasting time on less relevant tasks, like replying to emails or rummaging through the internet. By the time the sun rises, the morning hours are wasted, just like our energy.

Instead of subjecting mornings to mindless tasks, Laura Vanderkam lists three activities to reform them:

• Organizing morning culture for a career boost.
• Giving your family the time they deserve.
• Secluding yourself for a hobby, meditation, workout, or prayer.

⚡️Mornings can defy the chaos and unproductively tags we give them.

Successful people know the essence of having a productive morning. For illustration, Laura Vanderkam mentions prominent individuals like Steve Reinemund — Pepsico’s former CEO/Chairman — or James Citrin — author and expert on leadership and recruiting whose morning habits contributed to their high achievements.

Keep in mind that your morning rituals shouldn’t be of the self-flagellation variety. Choose things you actually enjoy.

Laura Vanderkam

Many people try to develop a routine but are unable to sustain it. The truth is that you can overcome that problem of inconsistency and cultivate the willpower you need to pull this off.

A book (📕 / 📀 / 🎧) by Tim Farriss

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The superheroes you know are people who have maximized their strengths

For many, breaking free from weaknesses seems like an impossible task. However, some people have shown grit to overcome challenges and establish lifestyles that have earned them the top performer tag. While the media sometimes showcases these nothing-to-something stories as self-made transformations, Timothy Ferris argues that it is impossible to ascend to the heroics without leaning on the wisdom of others.

⚡️Success is achievable if you collect the right field-tested beliefs and habits.

These top performers have learned innovative ways to optimize their body and mind, and you can do the same. Hence, this impressive body of work from Timothy Ferris will open your eyes to practical steps on living an improved lifestyle.

This summary is segmented into 3 crucial aspects of life-health, wealth, and wisdom. These 3 concepts encapsulate the core areas of your life that will determine your level of fulfillment.

In each segment, you will access different tools that have worked for renowned personalities who have shown a level of consistency at the top. The tools mentioned in this tidbit are unique to each individual, and it is you that will choose the ones that will work for you. You should note that it is imperative to run some of the advice in this summary through your nutritionist or doctor, especially the health and wellness part.

“Routine in an intelligent man is a sign of ambition.”

W.H. Auden

A book (📕 / 📀 / 🎧) by Robert B. Reich

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The difference between the sustainability of oligarchy and the implementation of democracy is you

Oligarchy is a system of government run by only a few, often the wealthy people in the nation, while Democracy is when the people of an entire nation are actively involved in the decision making of the same nation.

The actions you take, and your activities in liberating America goes a long way in determining whether oligarchs should remain in power or not. It’s irresponsible to expect the same set of people who benefit from oligarchy to implement democracy. The leaders you choose to represent you are a reflection of the kind of decisions you make. You cannot sit idly and expect things to fall in place for you. The average American should see the government for what they are and call them out.

You must get rid of your fears and believe in the power of association. You must get rid of the social barriers strategically put in place by the powerful ones. You must see beyond the smokescreen of lies right in front of you and advocate for a better America.

The middle and lower class are the majority, and together, they will become unbeatable. This is a wake-up call for every American out there. Through a journey of experience, Robert Reich has successfully exposed the ills of the government and why people need to come together.

⚡️A smaller government reflecting the needs of the middle class is better than a big government reflecting the needs of the privileged.

As an average American, you’re being cheated by the people at the top, and if you want to know more about how this is done, then you need to read this.

A book (📕 / 📀 / 🎧) by Cheryl Strayed

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Accept the reality of life and make the most of it

Things often get thrown at people, without regard for who they are, or what they’ve done. Sometimes, things happen in your life and you wonder why it should have — you feel cheated as you believe you don’t deserve to have such terrible things happen. But guess what? Such is life.

⚡️Life isn’t always fair — that is the foremost reality you should hold on to.

Sometimes, things that are not our responsibility become our problem. Other times, bad things happen to good people who totally do not deserve it. Bad things happen all the time, for no definite reason. The best one can do is live life to its fullest potential, brace oneself and move on from the hurt when life’s inevitable storm hits — in whatever form it takes.

“Whatever happens to you belongs to you. Make it yours. Feed it to yourself even if it feels impossible to swallow. Let it nurture you because it will.”

Cheryl Strayed

No human can control the events that will take place in his or her life. However, it would help to keep the following in mind:

• Life isn’t black and white. Sometimes, it comes in confusing colors.
• People don’t always get to do what they want or should. They do what they can.
• The past is fixed. When something happens, there is nothing you can do to change it. In other words, it is best not to cry over spilled milk as the tears can’t make the milk get back in the jar.
• The future is uncertain. People change, things change, relationships change, situations change.
• Every present predicament is temporary. Things will definitely get better if you play your part.

A book (📕 / 📀 / 🎧) by Marcus Aurelius

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Marcus Aurelius — a man whose wisdom never died

Meditations is an ever-unique collection of notes written by the Stoic Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius to himself.

Meditations helped Marcus Aurelius, a trained Stoic, define a personal life philosophy and cultivate an exemplary character he himself could strive toward. Their purpose was also to reflect upon his responsibilities and obligations as the empire’s accomplished military leader. However, the insights in Meditations are so priceless and ageless that they have resonated with people from all walks of life for thousands of years.

So, who was Marcus Aurelius? Born Marcus Annius Verus on April 26, A.D. 121, Marcus Aurelius served as the emperor of the Roman Empire from A.D. 161 to 180. It was the age of the Imperial Cult when Roman emperors were perceived as divinely sanctioned rulers with vast wealth and power.

As a soldier, Marcus was both capable and successful; he embarked on several campaigns in the interests of his empire and people and was triumphant in almost all of them. In a similar vein, he was prudent and conscientious as an administrator.

However, the emperor still faced domestic and personal troubles. His wife, Faustina, passed away early, and his children died one by one. By the end of Marcus’ life, only one of his sons still lived — Commodus, who became emperor upon Marcus’ death and ruined his father’s life legacy during his short reign.

⚡️Stoics state that you are the main director of your reactions. Take charge and guide your path to your desired destination.

Yet Marcus’s humility and objectivity remained unwavering through all his numerous afflictions. And during those years of trouble, Marcus Aurelius wrote twelve books in his journal “Meditations,” which have become one of history’s most practical and influential philosophy books. Stay tuned to dive deeper into the wisdom of Marcus Aurelius’ philosophy and discover how the lessons learned many centuries ago can be relevant even in the 21st century!

A book (📕 / 📀 / 🎧) by Lucius Annaeus Seneca

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Seneca’s makeover of Stoicism

From a frail adolescent facing a bleak future to the ancient Roman luminary we still quote today, Seneca’s journey is nothing short of inspiring.

Imagine evading death sentences from not one but two ruthless emperors, Caligula and Claudius. Instead of the cold grasp of death, Seneca faced eight years of solitude in exile. However, every cloud has its silver lining; in his isolation, he discovered the power of philosophy.

Jump forward to 49 CE — the exile was over, and Seneca began tutoring a twelve-year-old boy who would later become the emperor Nero. And when the latter came to power, Seneca became the unofficial chief minister. He acquired much wealth, yet claimed that riches hadn’t swayed his mindset.

In 62 CE, the philosopher’s friends warned that Nero might attempt to overthrow him, realizing Seneca’s potential to replace Nero. So, he retired and focused on philosophy, almost immediately putting pen to paper and writing his legendary letters. These letters are not merely casual correspondence but moral essays; this summary aims to decipher them for you.

You might have heard about Stoicism before. It’s a school of thought that values wisdom, perseverance, and self-sufficiency. Its followers considered humanity a unified community that can find peace by living harmoniously with nature and focusing only on the essentials. Some went so far in pursuing self-sufficiency that their unattainable ideals drove them to social isolation.

⚡️True wealth lies not in what you have but in who you become.

While many believe Seneca founded Stoicism, he humanized its dogmatic notions, acknowledging humans’ emotional and imperfect nature. Moreover, his belief in equality improved the enslaved people’s position in Ancient Rome and indirectly inspired the French and American revolutions.

So, let’s get to the revolutionary ideas of a wise man ahead of his time.

A book (📕 / 🎧) by Edward de Bono

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Thinking is our most precious resource, and we should learn to use it efficiently

Edward de Bono revolutionized the way we think by introducing the concept of the Six Hats method. Researchers from IMB laboratories, teachers, jurors, and world-famous companies (such as Siemens) utilize the technique in the working process. All claim that six hats make whatever they are doing astonishingly efficient. The meetings take less time, and the decision-making has become more manageable.

⚡️Efficiency skyrockets with the Six Hats method.

Thinking is a skill, and we can’t master it completely. There’s no limit to learning. While improving and utilizing this skill, however, we encounter a big issue: confusion. Thinking comes in different colors. Logic, emotions, creativity, and facts infuence n. The viraney a de lonerwhelmin inheres where the six hars come into play This method makes your Typical Western thinking mainly relies on three things:

• Argument
• Categorization
• Searching for the ultimate truth

Edward de Bono proposes parallel sensitization that accounts for various possible truths. This method focuses on what can be, not only what is. Thinking based on the argument is not sufficient for an ever-changing world. Parallel thinking presupposes looking at a given subject from all possible perspectives. While disagreements dictate that only one opinion can be right, six hats allow various correct viewpoints.

The directions parallel thinking can take are defined by different hats, each with unique characteristics. There are various ways to use hats. Single-use is helpful when we want to engage in a particular thinking style. We can also use hats in sequence, either an evolving one or a pre-set one.

“In practice, one of the most striking things about the use of the Six Hats method is that decisions seem to make themselves.”

Edward de Bono

A book (📕 / 📀 / 🎧) by Don Miguel Ruiz

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Reality exists in the mind: you are what your beliefs say you are

Have you taken out time to consider why our world is the way it is? And if there could be an alternate version if we just did some things differently?

Truth is, our world is ruled by the sets of unchanged beliefs that humans pass on to each other from generation to generation. It’s our beliefs that build expectations, rules, and results.

⚡️The set of beliefs pervasive in the universe is responsible for what society considers normal and acceptable, or not.

The general beliefs create an atmosphere under which humans are raised.

For instance, a child grows up with the sets of belief systems injected into him from — first — his immediate family, then school, church, friends, and the society at large.

This wouldn’t have been a problem if over 90% of what we believe wasn’t wrong. But unfortunately, it is.

Our beliefs create a special cage for each and everyone of us. We can’t move past this cage unless we change what we believe about ourselves, and how the world works. We got these beliefs because we agreed to them — and if we want to change them, we have to agree on something else, because, unfortunately, the mind is the driver of our lives and it can’t be empty of beliefs.

It’s easier to inherit belief systems as children than to debunk them and gain new ones, but the good news is, each time you break an agreement or belief, you regain the power you used to create it in the first place, and this power can be used to break other agreements.

⚡️Positive agreements will make enough personal power available for you to break other negative agreements.

Wondering what personal agreements you should begin to create? Worry not, because the proceeding sections of this summary will take you through the four personal agreements that will not only change your life but also create enough willpower for you to debunk your negative beliefs.

Ready for them? Let’s dive in.

A book (📕 / 📀 / 🎧) by Sonja Lyubomirsky

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You have to work hard to be happy

Happiness is something we all strive for. We attach different meanings to it. For some, happiness is a successful career; for others, it is a large family with strong relationships. It may even be an opportunity to travel. We talk about happiness in the future tense: “I will be happy when I buy an expensive car or go on a trip around the world or move to live by the sea.” Sometimes we can’t even say exactly what makes us happy. However, we agree that contentment is an unattainable dream, something far away that may come to us one fine day. We live in anticipation of pleasure. “The How of Happiness” opens an entirely different understanding of joy and satisfaction. It shows that we can learn to be delighted.

⚡️You are the only one who can give yourself lasting and stable happiness.

Here you will find 12 strategies to become happy and learn to choose the ones that are right for you. You will also know that happiness doesn’t depend on the conditions in which you live and that you can be happy even without a lot of money and all the material things. What do you think is hidden behind the hedonic adaptation? What is the role of genes in our ability to be happy? Why is overthinking destructive? Here you will find answers to these questions. Years of research have proven that happiness can be a habit. You don’t have to look for it or wait for it because it is a consequence of your actions. You are the master of your own fulflling life. Choose your strategy for achieving happiness and implement it regularly.