Concentrate your mind on a subject for 90 minutes
How to Live on 24 hours a day
Arnold Bennett!
I need to put 1 question for a day : Thinking , Researching and branching out the thoughts and Writing!
As I run out of material , I need to do the same - Think research branch out and Write!
Each day : for 90 minutes at a stretch!
"Most people I do not meet them at all , for they do not seem to have time - they are busy about their beans?
Henry David Thoreau, Walden pg.87
People in Hurry cannot be patient ; People in Hurry cannot love
Eknath Eswaran
Me and my wife once went to meet a doctor in Chennai for Consultation. The doctor, a lody , retired from government service and a very famous one - suddenly opened up about her personal life -
She went on : "I spent way too much time on my work in my prime days and missed my time with my only daughter- now she is married off and living in United States - I am not sure if I should have worked so hard - at the cost of spending time with my only daughter. While in my own case , my own mother took care of me so much . "
probably, Too little and a Too late realization for the Doc!
People in hurry cant love!
Linear thinking = 8+8+8+8+8 = 40
Exponential thinking = 8*8*8*8*8 = 32768
The Psychology of Money - Morgan Housel
Earth on multiple occasions had been covered with Ice. How did that happen?
Was it a sudden phenomenon? Sometime may be ; but mostly its due to incremental effects :
for ex., a particular summer , never gets warm enough to melt previous summer's snow
the left-over ice base makes it easier for snow to accumulate the following winter, which increases the odds of snow sticking around in the following winter...the stickiness effect!
This goes on and on - within a few hundred years , Ice age sets in!
Bug message: A small starting base can lead to extraordinary results ! you dont need extraordinary effort for extra-ordinary results! ...the power of compounding that comes with stickiness to one thing!
the secret here is time ! Are you willing to put yourself through one thing for a long enough time ? that how compounding works! Are you willing to Shut up and wait?
Stick to one thing - Build - Build - Build - a body of work - until it bursts out what looks like a work of a genius!
Morgan Housel
The ability to stick around for a long time - without wiping out or being forced to give up is what makes the biggest difference ; not growth , not brains ,not insight;
This should be the cornerstone of your strategy , whether its investing or career or business of your own!
pg.58 : The Psychology of Money - Morgan Housel
I am reminded of the quote : " Survival of fittest" - in the Evolution theory by Charles Darwin :
the natural process by which organisms best adjusted to their environment are most successful in surviving and reproducing :
as you can see , its not the smartest, strongest or the most talented - its the fittest that survive - its the ones that can avoid the ruins!
To be fit, you got to stay away from ruins - breakdown - and kaput - to sustain the song
To give the personal finance example, you need to have at least 6 months of cache in case you run into a paycheck issue - to stay fiscally fit! otherwise its going to be a meltdown!
Charlie Munger says : "Tell me where death is ; I shall never go there!" (looks like he is successful in dodging death as he is 99 years and active!)
Munger's idea is : Problem avoidance => Stick around for long time => Compounding effect!
Being smart and talent is good and necessary - but not sufficient ;
one way to avoid troubles is using the margin of safety principle ; this is the approach that rocket scientists use in their designs; They don't design necessarily the strongest nozzle - rather they make it strong enough to avoid failure!
Margin of Safety (M.S) = Allowed Load - 1
Actual Load
As long as margin of safety is > 0 , you are good!
a similar approach you can to take to life as well:
M.S = Allowed Risk - 1
Actual Risk
As long you are acting with positive M.S. you are good!
and you will be one of those last (Wo)man standing - no need for willpower and all that crap!
Let no act be without purpose
Marcus Aurelius - pg.15 : Stoic 6 Pack
Like a fire lays hold of what falls into it
A small spark would have been extinguished
but when fire is strong , it soon appropriates
itself to the matter that leaped on to it
And consumes it,
and rises by thus very material
Let no act be done without a purpose
(make purpose the very fire within)
and that shall make a material for itself
out of which opposes it!
My note:
Nassim Taleb says a similar thing in his book Anti-Fragile
Wind extinguishes a spark - timid flame
but the same wind energizes a Wild fire
such that the Fire shall make a material
out of the opposing force such as the Wind itself!
Seneca - Letters from a Stoic - Pg.75
Choose a Guide
Things happen twice - once in the mind and then physically
Arnold Bennett - The Human Machine
Events occur in two stages:
first in the mind and then in the physical world. The first stage involves the perception, interpretation, and processing of sensory information by the brain, which creates a mental representation of the event.
The second stage involves the actual occurrence of the event in the physical world, which can be observed and experienced by others.
Human Action Model:
Universe <=> Senses <=> Mind (Impression) <=> Self
||
Ego ("I")
||
Intellect (Right / Wrong)
||
Memory ( Past Experiences)
George Saunders talks about this in his Book : "A swim in a pond in the Rain"
The mind takes a vast unitary wholeness (the universe), selects one tiny segment of it (me), and starts narrating from that point of view. Just like that, that entity (George!) becomes real, and he is (surprise, surprise) located at the exact center of the universe, and everything is happening in his movie, so to speak; it is all, somehow, both for and about him. In this way, moral judgment arises: what is good for George is… good. What is bad for him is bad.
So, in every instant, a delusional gulf gets created between things as we think they are and things as they actually are. Off we go, mistaking the world we’ve made with our thoughts for the real world.
மதியால் விதியை ஆராய்ச்சி செய்யலாம்
ஆட்சி செய்ய முடியாது
-கண்ணதாசன்
Intellect can research , dissect and analyze Destiny
but cannot rule over it
-Tamil Poet Kannadasan
The power of the intellect, my friend, is formidable indeed.
With it, we can analyze, dissect, and research the workings of the universe, unraveling the mysteries of creation and the secrets of destiny. But even the most brilliant mind cannot claim mastery over destiny.
For destiny is a force that transcends human understanding, a tapestry woven of countless threads, each strand bearing the imprint of a thousand lives. To try to rule over destiny is like trying to hold back the tide with a broom - a futile and ultimately self-defeating endeavor.
Rather, let us humbly accept the hand fate deals us, and strive always to make the most of the opportunities presented to us. For it is in living fully and authentically in the present moment that we can hope to shape our own destiny, and make our mark upon the world.
Destiny is the Fountainhead
Intellect is a distributary
Intellect is like a shadow - changing always from short to long
While the Destiny is the True form - constant always
ஆணவம் தலைமாட்டில் அமர்ந்தது அடக்கம் காலடியில் அமர்ந்தது -கண்ணதாசன்
(Translation)
Arrogance perches like a crown on the head,
Humility, sits unobtrusively at the foot
- Tamil Poet Kannadasan
In the hierarchy of virtues, my friend, arrogance and humility occupy vastly different positions. Arrogance perches like a crown on the head,
puffing up the ego and distorting one's perspective.
Humility, on the other hand, sits unobtrusively at the foot,
grounding us in reality and fostering empathy for others.
It is only by cultivating humility that we can truly understand and appreciate the world around us.
Arrogance blinds us to our faults and limits our potential,
while humility opens our hearts and minds to new possibilities.
Friend, Be like the pressure cooker:
Pressure on head, Fire below
still whistle
You will be relieved pressure!
So let us strive always for the grace of humility, my friend, and walk humbly through this world.
Cancel Culture
Sovereign Financial @Twitter
Cancel Debt by living within means - Frugality
Cancel gluttony by eating with intention - Detachment
Cancel weakness by getting strong - Gym
Cancel laziness by getting off your A** - Practice
All you need in life is Restraint - attained through Detachment and Practice!
Taste does not depend on the dish rather by the hunger that you possess.
The flavor of a dish is not determined by the recipe, my friend, but rather by the depth of your hunger. A hearty appetite can transform even the simplest fare into a feast, while a lack of hunger can render the most sumptuous meal tasteless.
So it is with life as well. The richness of experience is not dependent on external circumstances but on the passion and intensity of our desires. A hunger for knowledge, for adventure, for love, for meaning - these are the seasonings that give life its savor.
So cultivate your hunger, my friend, and savor every moment of this precious existence.
Get Natural says Seneca...What this means is - Reduce yourself to a state of Hunger - through voluntary poverty - And then be ready to indulge - Then, even the basic of needs sound eclectic - heavenly!
Such is the madness of ambition that
you will feel you have come in last
if even one is ahead of you
Seneca : Epistles : 104.9
We see it in the Olympic Games - In Women Soccer, the Norway team came in 2nd place for Silver - and were receiving the medal in a state of sorrow - while the USA girls who came in 3rd position to receive the Bronze were more cheerful! why?
The Bronze medalists could have gone empty-handed - but they won the Bronze - and all happy and cheerful!
While the Silver medalist is still ruing the missed Gold!
Classic case of Cup : Half-full or Half-Empty ? Most of smart people - end up looking the Half-Empty portion!
Naval Ravikant askes us this - If you are so smart, why are you not happy?
Ambition makes us look one way only, forward, and not look-back ...Seneca
If you are not in possession, get into position ...Ozan Varol
The Puck goes where Gretzky is ! Gretzky, the Ice hockey star, anticipates where the puck will be and is in position ready for the possession of the puck.
Be it Soccer or Cricket or Badminton , you anticipate and move nimbly to be position !
An amateur on the other hand, reacts , to the ball to come on to decide!
by that time, its too late
if you wait for everything to fall in place and be 100% sure, you are too late and too slow.
Same is true for life : Anticipate and assess risks and then move forward to take position!
It is not enough to wait and react to what comes your way, my dear friend. You must take your position, anticipate potential outcomes, and prepare yourself for what lies ahead. As in sports, so in life: if you wish to possess the puck, you must move deftly and be where Gretzky is. And when you are faced with challenges, it is only by being proactive, assessing risks, and taking bold action that you may hope to succeed. Do not be afraid to act with purpose, my friend, for it is only through action that we may attain our goals and realize our dreams.
Maria Popova Blog
If you want to find the secrets of Universe, think in terms of Energy, Frequency and Vibration"
Nikola Tesla
When Yumi moves her bow across her Cello's strings or
When Beyonce's vocal chords vibrate as air moves though them
When Gambian griot superstar , Sona Jobarteh plucks the strings of her Kora
Those collisions move air particles
producing soundwaves - vibrations - that move out into space
Those vibrations hit your eardrums
whose rhythmic vibrations move hairs on the cochlear membrane
just as on the other side of the eardrum
triggering neurochemical signals beginning in the auditory cortex on the side of oyur brain
(Thus) soundwaves are transformed into a pattern of neuro-chemical activiation
that moves from auditory cortex to anterior insular cortex
which directly influences and receives input from your
Heart, Lungs, Vagus nerve, Sexual organs and Gut.
....
....
We do listen to music with our bodies ,where musical feeling begins
this neural representation of music through a region of brain called Hippocampus
which adds layers of memories to ever-accreting meanings of the sounds!
Creativity ...Maria Popova
Creativity is a process that requires great strength and patience
for it asks of us to quiet the din of the demand
and break free from the straight-jacket of habit
in order to make audible the inner voice
whispered from depths of life, wild and free-
"The most regretful people on earth
are those who felt the call to creative work
who felt their own creative power restive and uprsiing
and gave it neither power nor time " Mary Oliver
How to produce an advertisement that sells? By David Ogilvy
10 rules: (My note: while these rules were written by Mr.Ogilvy in the context of advertising, it holds good for any creative work!!!!)
)Question III
Kausalya : "Master, from what source does this Prana come from?"
Sage Pippalada :
"Prana is born of Self
As a man casts a shadow, the Self casts Prana into the Body,at the time of birth, so that the mind's desires are fulfilled.
As a king appoints officers to do his work in the villages,So Prana works with four other Pranas
to carry out the different functions of the Body!"
5 Types of Pranas:
1. Prana : Dwells in eye, ear,nose,mouth - represents Sun - light to the Eyes
2. Apana: Downward Force : Organs of Sex and Excretion - Earth - Draws the lower force
3. Samana : Equaling force in middle : Digests food, Kindles 7 Fires - Space -
4. Vyana: Distributor of Energy : Radiates from Heart - moves through myriad vital currents - Moving Air
5. Udana : Leads ladder of evolution : Selfless : Up; Selfish : Down - Fire- When fire goes out -Senses are drawn back into mind and person is ready for rebirth
A story is a linear temporal phenomenon. It proceeds and charms us (or doesn't) , one at a time.
A story is a system for the transfer of energy. Energy, hopefully, gets made in the early pages and the trick in later pages is to use that energy.
The true beauty of a story is not in its apparent conclusion, but in the alteration in the mind of the reader that has occurred along the way.
A story is a series of incremental pulses: each of which does something to us: and puts us in a new place, relative to where we were. The story should always be escalating; Escalating means refusing to repeat the beat. fundamental change in character's condition - we don't get to exact that change again.
There should be a rhythm to the story: one beat leading to the next!
-Maria Popova
The road to Mastery
In the end, however, the most satisfying and powerful way to feel this connection to reality is through "Creative Activity"
There are always greater geniuses than yourself. Luck certainly played a role, as did your mentor, and all those in the past who paved the way.
What must ultimately motivate you is the work itself and the process!
You pick a project. Work on with focus. you hit a roadblock, frustration, at breaking point - nowhere going kinda feeling - Let go - Brain loosens - Finds its synthesis- forms its own solution!
Stoic 6 Pack! Epictetus
pg.94
First Part :
Fear nothing that shall come to pass!
possess nothing except which are your own!
Second part :
Free from passion and pertubration (Vrtti in Yoga)
Grudges no pain in pursuit of poetry and philosophy!
what I desire to know is my duty to
Gods,Parents,Brothers and Strangers!
Third Part:
Stand firm and unshaken
as firm when elated
as in despondency and dejection!
Man! If you done your act in above three parts, you are verily a God!
Just like a low resting heart-rate is the by-product of intense exercise,
low anxieties is the by-product of intense self-examination
@Naval Ravikant
Spend time daily - Reading, Reflecting and Writing!
Writing about your wins,
Writing About tensions and the
gratitudes that you owe!
Set your brain straight thus and the
world shall be a better place for you and others!
I write this not for the many, but for you, each of us is enough of an audience for the other.
Seneca : Letters from a Stoic. pg.8
I am reminded of the article by William Zinnser - in his book - On Writing Well -
"Who are you writing for? you are writing for yourself- An audience of one!
you have to write ,create - for the pleasure that you may have - with earnestness , pride, quality - to satisfy yourself!
then the product will be good - and World if it may, appreciate - if it likes! - you should be inward looking when it comes to creativity!"
I wrote my first document on "The Upanishads" in LinkedIn and it kinda went viral!
Then buoyed by that success, I went on to the next one - rushed - and posted the second document - it barely created a ripple! Why? The first one I created for my joy! the second one for popularity!
Cricketer Ravi Ashwin says this : "Nobody will pull you up! you got to pull yourself up! "
Well I have to create , create and create for the sake of it! the audience of one! the joy of creating!
I used to do my humor podcast - every single week between 2018-20 - yeah every sunday evening- very good - but I then stopped it - why? I was disappointed that my podcast not going viral!
Is that the point? you are creating -doing hobby- for yourself - to please yourself - if it goes viral in the process - so be it - if not - so be it!
Consistency is more important than Virality!
"I have never worked to cater to the crowd, for what I know they do not approve; and what they approve, I do not know; " Epicurus
"If you prefer to please yourself rather than the populace, it will make you weigh and not merely count, men's judgments - it will make you live without fear of gods or men, it will make you wither overcome evils or end them" Seneca, Letters from a Stoic
From GE blog:
Shortly after he joined GE Aerospace in 1984 as a materials engineer in Evendale, Ohio, Glenn Culbertson received some blunt advice from a senior colleague. “A lot of people will tell you that they’re your customer: your boss, your boss’s boss, the CEO,” the co-worker told him. “They’re all wrong. The customer is the engine. If you do right by the engine, you’ll do right by everybody else.”
Your customer is the product!
Above statement echoes the words of Edward Deming , the Quality guru:
Most folks think the aim of business is to make money , rather, the aim of business should be to become the world's most efficient provider of product or service it offers- once it continues to offer good products- profits follow!
Lessons from the book Tuesdays with Morrie …by Mitch Albom
This is a book based on real-life happening, where the retired professor Morrie (Morrie Schwarz) on his deathbed teaches his former student , the author, Mitch Albom .
subject : “Meaning of Life” .
the class timing: once a week on Tuesdays after breakfast ,
Location: by a window in the professor’s house.
No assessments
A funeral was held in lieu of graduation .
Here are the lessons I noted from book
Pg.43 : Lesson 1 : How to find purpose and meaning?
So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep even when doing busy things they think are important. This is because they are chasing the wrong things.
The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to lovingothers, devote yourself to community around you and devote yourself to creating something that gives you meaning and purpose.
Pg.43 :Lesson 2: Don’t fool yourself with self-importance
(The author who was a celebrated sports columnist , loses his job suddenly)
I had gone used to thinking how readers somehow needed my column. I was stunned how easily things went on without me.
Pg.46: Lesson 3 : What is the most important thing in life?
Contrary to popular view, Money is not the most important thing .Most important thing is to be “fully human” - give out love and let it come-in!
Pg.64 : Lesson 4 : the key question : “What if today were my last day on earth?”
Do what the Buddhists do – Everyday have a bird on your shoulder that asks –
‘IS it today that day? Am I ready?
Am I doing what I need to?
Am I being the person I want to be?’
Learn how to die and you learn how to live!
Pg.91 : Lesson 5 : Family
If it isn’t the Family, there is no foundation , no secure ground upon which people may stand today
Pg.118 : Lesson 6: Problem of Youth and Value of Aging!
Problem of Youth : They have little understanding of Life . When people are manipulating you , telling you to buy perfume and you’ll be beautiful or this pair of jeans – and you’ll be (handsome) – and you believe them! Its such nonsense!
Value of Ageing :As you age, you learn. Aging is growth. And as you understand you’re going to die , you live a better life!
Pg.119 : Lesson 7: How to deal envy?
“I envy (younger , healthy) people who go to gym, swim or can dance.
Envy comes to me, I feel it and then let it go
Tell yourself- ‘That’s envy. I am going to separate from it now’
And walk away!
Pg.124: Lesson 8: More is not good;
“There is a big confusion in this country on want vs need.
You need food; you want chocolate sundae;
You need to go from Point A to Point B; you don’t need the latest sports car;
You need a home; you don’t need the biggest!
These people are so hingry for love that they were acceting substitutes. They were embracing material things and expecting – sort of hug back – but it never works .
You cant substitute material things for love or for gentleness or for tenderness or for a sense of comradeship!
Pg.126 : Lesson 9: Offering others what you have to give
I don’t mean money, Mitch. I mean your time. Your concern. Your storytelling. Say you know computers – you come and teach elderly people computers. You are very welcome there and they are very grateful.
Pg.134 : Lesson 10 : On my tombstone
I DON’T WANT MY TOMBSTONE TO READ
“I NEVER OWNED A NETWORK” - Ted Turner
This Ted Turner guy, Morrie said, he couldn’t think of anything else for his tombstone?
I decided what I want on my tombstone – ‘A Teacher to the Last’
Pg. 136 : Lesson 11: Why are people not attentive?
Part of the problem, Mitch , is that , everyone is in a hurry,Morrie said.
People have not found meaning in life.
So they’re running all the time looking for it.
They think the next car, nect house, next job .
They find those things are empty too and they keep running.
The truth is I don’t have to be in that much of hurry with my car.
I would rather put energies into people
(where am I putting my Energies – next car, next job or next house) - or on people?
Pg.141 : Lesson 12: Biggest lesson : Giving is Living
What we take we must replenish. Taking never makes you feel alive. – new car, new suit, new flat-screen TV ! it’s a temporary thrill that wears off with the warranty!
Rather give – your time for others!
Pg.148 : Lesson 13 : On Love and marriage:
If you
- Don’t respect the other person, you are going to have a lot of trouble
- Don’t know how to compromise, --ditto----
- Cant talk openly what goes on between you, you are going to have lot of trouble
- Don’t have a commons set of values . ----ditto—
Pg.175: Lesson 14: We are all a part of the Whole!
Why are you looking so grim and sad? The wave behind asked the wave ahead
The ahead wave replied : “ we are all going to crash soon. All of us waves are going to be nothing!
The behind wave replied : “ No you don’t understand. You’re not a wave . you are part of the ocean”
Even if you win the rat race, you are still a Rat!
I am in the rat race !
Citius, Altius, Fortius - faster, Higher, Stronger they exhort!
And this manifests in the short-run and long-run
IN the long run, I want to become this or that
All this long-run stuff manifests in short-run as well -
Quick Quick Quick - Hurry Hurry and Hurry
translating into multi-tasking! Driving fast! flying fast! Sleeping less!
Running in a treadmill that keeps increasing in speed
So what shall I do?
As Jiddu Krishnamurti says in The Book of Life - Start observing What is
rather than projecting your desires into the future of What could be
The rat race is about striving for success, but even if you win, you're still just a rat. The call to be faster, higher, and stronger is unrelenting, in both the short and long run. In the long run, we strive to become someone, to have something, and to stay busy doing it all. But this constant pressure leads to multitasking, sleepless nights, and a never-ending rush.
To break free, we must follow Jiddu Krishnamurti's advice and focus on "what is" rather than "what could be". By taking a step back and observing the present moment, and projecting into the reality mirror, we can find contentment in what we already have. It's time to stop chasing after more and start living in the now.
Ants are much more than reflex machines
They are self-acting creatures guided by memories of the past individual (ontogenic) experience
Charles Henry Turner
Ants, Bees, and Wasps learn, remember, and recognize landmarks to get home
Rather than move by mindless 'instinct' as previously thought
Galley spiders: an instinctive impulse prompts them to weave galley webs
But the details of the construction are products of intelligent action.
but Intelligent action is needed to create and produce outcomes!
Outcome = Idea * Execution = Instinct * Intelligence
The breathe of life
Bhargava: "Master, what powers support this body?"
Sage Pippalada :
" the powers are space,air,fire,water,earth
Speech,mind,vision and hearing
All these boasted - we support this body
But prana, vital energy , supreme over them all said
' dont deceive yourself
It is I dividing fourfold
Who hold this body together '
Like when queen bee , goes out, all the bees
Go out, and when she returns all return
So returned Speech,mind,vision and hearing
When prana returns '