Empowering Links: Week of 12th August
The difference between ordinary and extra-ordinary is so often just simply that little word – extra. 37signals summarizes the best of survival expert Bear Grylls’ life lessons.
What to achieve more? Be grateful for what you already have. Self-made millionaire Adam Khoo reminds us how being grateful for what you already have gets you more of what you want.
The key to a lot of success comes from putting in less effort, time and resources to achieving the same result – not more. Are you working hard or working smart? Finding ways to be busy or to be effective? A key secret of effectiveness is achieving more of what you want by spending less.
What does a cloud mean? I loved reading Alan Watts, Zen philosopher, as I was growing up. Watching these awesome Alan Watts animations created by South Park animators isn’t just a trip down memory lane, but a reminder to slow down and just be.
Learn real self-defense. When I was just starting out in martial arts, I was lucky enough to have a friend introduce Marc ‘Animal’ MacYoung’s self-defense books to me. It kicked enough sense into me to shave years of nonsense off my martial arts training. After 10 years, his books are still unmatched in terms of sheer practicality. Luckily for us, he’s created a deep No Nonsense Self-Defense website packed with free, easy-to-use information. Highly recommended.
It’s a bit late, but Carolyn Manning of Thoughts & Philosophies has done a great expansion on my 7 Power Wounds post. Check the 7 out; clutter, blame, passivity, worry, procrastination, jealousy and a weak identity.
And I must be the last guy on the block to see this inspirational video of Paul Potts’ performance.
I agree that a key to self management is self esteem. I would offer that true life inspiration happens when you find something you love to do and make it a part of your everyday experience. Here’s an exercise:
1. Write down 10 things you love to do or that bring you the most joy. I call this the “You List”
2. Then record how many times a day you do one of the things on your list
3. Give each day of the week a rating from 1-10
4. Your best day usually comes out to be the day you do the most things on your “You List”
I can easily relate to the first part of the story, in the past I was one of those people pretending you have done something and then be very uncomfortable when someone asks more detailed questions.
It is not a good feeling and being upfront from the beginning really saves you the embarassment later.