From Chapter 13 “Efficiency” in Ingredients of Outliers. Food For Thought I'm sure you've noticed some recurring themes: Put it in writing, use a checklist, press on when you feel like quitting, and stay positive-- it will work, you will learn, and you will have fun! It's much easier to be efficient when you're having fun. When you're no having fun, change your course or change your perspective. In Other Words The most efficient way to live reasonably is every morning to make a plan of one’s day and every night to examine the results obtained. ~ Alexis Carrel There is never … [Read more...]
12 Ways to Inspire Young Minds to Indulge in a Book
Read across America Day was founded by the National Education Association (NEA) as a day to celebrate and motivate children and teens to read. The day commences March 2 every year, the birthday of the cherished children’s author, the late Dr. Seuss. On this day in cities around the Unitied States, teachers, librarians, parents, grandparents, politicians, athletes – you name it – are encouraged to develop activities that excite and inspire young readers. Reading is a major part of how we learn, grow, and view the world around us. Why is reading so important you ask? Here are just a couple … [Read more...]
Thank You Mentors!
One of the best ways to kick off the New Year, besides goal-setting, is to practice thankfulness for the positives in your life. What better way to put that into action than by giving thanks to the mentors who have influenced personal and professional growth? January is National Mentoring Month and, more specifically, January 21st is Thank Your Mentor Day. Mentoring has been proven to have positive effects, especially on young people. According to Mentoring.org, young adults who were at-risk for falling off track but had a mentor are: 55% more likely to enroll in college 78% more … [Read more...]
Look on the Bright Side
From Chapter 10 “Optimism/Enthusiasm” in Ingredients of Outliers. I imagine that, at one time or another, you’ve read or heard various definitions comparing optimism and pessimism. Perhaps the oldest and most familiar one involves a glass of water (or other beverage), which the optimist describes as half-full, and the pessimist as half-empty.Well, I recently heard of a young boy who turned that comparison upside down. After drinking half of his glass of milk, he set it down and announced: “I’m an optimist. My glass is half-empty.” Told that his view was pessimistic, he replied: … [Read more...]
The Books You Read
From Chapter 9 “Learning” in Ingredients of Outliers. The Books You Read Reading is another great way to continue the learning process. Back in Chapter 6, I introduced you to the late, great motivational speaker, Charlie “Tremendous” Jones. In addition to his speaking career, Jones was the CEO of Executive Books, a company he founded in 1966. Books were his passion and everywhere he went he’d proclaim: “You’re the same today as you’ll be five years from now except for two things, the people you meet and the books you read.” Over the years, his company, recently renamed … [Read more...]
The Secret to Learning = Curiosity
From Chapter 9 “Learning” in Ingredients of Outliers. A Key Ingredient Fair enough! But what’s the secret, the primary ingredient, to being a lifelong learner? The answer, of course, is curiosity! The 18th century English author Samuel Johnson called curiosity “the thirst of the soul.” Two centuries later American author William Arthur Ward described it as “the wick in the candle of learning.” And the late, great Walt Disney claimed that it “keeps leading us down new paths.” If asked to nominate one person who, perhaps more than any other, might epitomize the word “curiosity,” it … [Read more...]