Heroism is rather a mind-set or an accumulation of our personal and social habits. It is a way of being. And it is a special way of viewing ourselves. To be a hero requires taking effective action at crucial junctures in our lives, to make an active attempt to address injustice or create positive change in the world. To be a hero requires great moral courage. And each of us has an inner hero waiting to be expressed. We are all “heroes in training.” Our hero training is life, the daily circumstances that invite us to practice the habits of heroism: to commit daily deeds of kindness; to radiate compassion, starting with self-compassion; to bring out the best in others and ourselves; to sustain love, even in our most challenging relationships; to celebrate and exercise the power of our mental freedom.
“Isn’t it amazing?” she said. “The worst brings out the best in us.”
Imagine a world where reading isn’t just passing words on a page, but a thrilling puzzle to be cracked, a conversation to be engaged in, and a treasure trove of knowledge to be unearthed.
This is the world promised by Mortimer J. Adler’s seminal work, “How to Read a Book”.
Here are 10 guiding principles of reading from “How to Read a Book” by Mortimer J. Adler:
Principle One: Active Reading
Imagine reading like a detective, not a spectator. Don’t simply let the words flow past you. Actively engage the text:
What is the author’s main point?
What evidence do they use to support their claims?
Are there any logical fallacies or inconsistencies?
Can I connect this to other things I know?
Take notes on key points, arguments, and questions. Highlight significant passages for later reference.
Principle Two: Purposeful Reading
What drives you to pick up a book? Identify your reason:
Enjoyment: Get lost in a story, laugh, or escape reality.
Information: Learn new facts, gain knowledge on a specific topic.
Understanding: Develop a deeper comprehension of complex ideas or philosophies.
Knowing your purpose guides your reading pace, level of analysis, and whether you annotate or simply absorb the story.
Principle Three: Diversity in Reading
Don’t get stuck in a reading rut! Explore different genres, authors, and topics. Reading a variety of books:
-Expands your knowledge base.
-Challenges your existing perspectives.
-Develops different reading skills for different types of texts.
-Think of it like exercising different muscles to become a well-rounded reader.
Principle Four: Syntopic Reading
Don’t read books in isolation. Look for other books on the same subject and compare and contrast them. This allows you to:
-See different perspectives and interpretations of the topic.
-Identify common themes and arguments across different sources.
-Form a more nuanced and informed understanding of the subject.
-It’s like having a conversation with several experts on the same topic.
Principle Five: Annotation as Memory Enhancement
Treat your books like active learning tools. Underline key passages, write notes in the margins, and even create diagrams to visualize complex ideas. This:
-Reinforces your understanding during and after reading.
-Provides a quick reference point for revisiting key points.
-Creates a personalized study guide for future review.
We might learn things quickly, but we often forget things at the same rate—and sometimes we need to remind ourselves of the things we’ve learned.
Here are 25 of those reminders that others taught me.
1. Struggle Is Good
Never say “I can’t take it anymore.” Say “Bring it on!”
2. Don’t Complain
Complaining is the biggest waste of time there is. Either do something about it, and if you can’t, shut up about it.
3. Spend Time With People You Love
That’s your family and best friends. If you don’t have a family, create one. Most people in life are only visitors. Family is for life.
4. Don’t Start A Relationship If You’re Not In Love
I’ve done this more than once. You kind of like someone and think: “We might as well give it a shot.” Not a good idea. You’re either in love, or you are not. Don’t fool yourself. It’s not fair to you and the other person.
5. Exercise Daily
I didn’t get this until recently. A healthy body is where you have to start everything in life. If you can’t build a healthy and strong body, what CAN you build in life?
6. Keep A Journal
No, keeping a journal is not for children. It helps you to become a better thinker and writer. “I don’t want to be a writer” you might think. Well, how many emails and texts do you send a day? Everybody is a writer.
7. Be Grateful
Say ‘thank you’ to everyone and everything. “Thank you for this beautiful day.” “Thankyou for your email.” “Thank you for being there for me.”
8. Don’t Care About What People Think
We all die in the end, do you really think it matters what people think of you?
9. Take More Risks
Don’t be such a wimp.
10. Pick An Industry, Not A Job
If you want to become good at something, you need to spend years and years doing that. You can’t do that if you hop from industry to industry. Pick an industry you love and start at the bottom. You will find the perfect role for you eventually.
11. Lead The Way
When you find yourself in a situation where everyone looks at each other, it’s time for you to lead. You‘re a leader when you decide to become one. There’s no initiation or a title. Just a decision.
12. Money Is Not The Most Important Thing
You have to train yourself not to care about money and focus on providing value instead. Also, don’t become too dependent on the stuff you own — otherwise, the stuff will own you.
To be clear: I’m not saying you should ask pointed questions that put others on the spot, like “How can you deliver 10% higher productivity?” or “Are you missing anything here?” The kind of questions leaders need to ask are those that invite people to come together to explore major new opportunities that your organization hasn’t identified yet. Here are some examples:
What is a game-changing opportunity that could create much more value than we have delivered in the past?
What are emerging unmet needs of our customers that could provide the foundation for an entirely new business?
How could we leverage the resources of third parties to address a broader range of the needs of our customers?
How can we move from standardized, mass-market products and services to personalizing our products and services to the specific needs of each customer?
How can we develop supply networks that would be more flexible in responding to unanticipated disruptions in production or logistics?
How could we harness sensor technology to create more visibility into how our customers are using our products and use this information to deliver more value and deepen trust with our customers?
Focusing your questions on these kinds of new and big opportunities rather than on the existing activities of the organization can also help you to sidestep your fear that questioning will be seen as a sign of weakness, since there’s no way you could be expected to know the answers.
These broader questions also communicate that you have a sense of ambition, that you want to take the organization way beyond where it is today. And you can bolster your credibility by providing evidence of those long-term trends that underlie your question – for example, emerging technologies that are likely to offer new opportunities, or demographic shifts that will create some significant unmet needs among your customers.
The world’s foremost entrepreneurial coach shows you how to make a mindset shift that opens the door to explosive growth and limitless possibility–in your business and your life.
Have you ever had a new idea or a goal that excites you… but not enough time to execute it? What about a goal you really want to accomplish…but can’t because instead of taking action, you procrastinate? Do you feel like the only way things are going to get done is if you do them? But what if it wasn’t that way? What if you had a team of people around you that helped you accomplish your goals (while you helped them accomplish theirs)?
When we want something done, we’ve been trained to ask ourselves: “How can I do this?” Well, there is a better question to ask. One that unlocks a whole new world of ease and accomplishment. Expert coach Dan Sullivan knows the question we should ask instead: “Who can do this for me?”
This may seem simple. And it is. But don’t let the lack of complexity fool you. By mastering this question, you will quickly learn how billionaires and successful entrepreneurs like Dan build incredible businesses and personal freedom.
One day, I was sitting in a company meeting where people were discussing important policies that could have a significant negative impact on the environment. As I sat there, I came to the realisation that while I felt very strongly about these issues, I was essentially silent.
‘Why?’ I asked myself. ‘Why am I afraid to open my mouth? When I was hired into this company from the outside years ago, I had no fear. I openly expressed my feelings and concerns. I was confident. I felt I could act with integrity. What’s made the difference?’
As I thought about it, I realised that since that time, I had acquired substantial retirement benefits. I’d bought a new home. I was making payments on a new boat. Essentially, I didn’t want to do anything that might jeopardise my economic security. I realised the ‘golden handcuffs’ held me bound.
At that point I made two resolutions : to get my financial affairs in order and build up some reserves, and to continually improve my marketability. I never again wanted to be in a position where my integrity was compromised by my dependence on a job.
– From ‘First Things First’ by Stephen Covey and A. Roger and Rebecca R. Merrill.
ONE TUSK 