Golden Books™

2022-07-04 19:53:36 The Art of Learning: A Journey in the Pursuit of Excellence
by Josh Waitzkin

Through his own example, Waitzkin explains how to embrace defeat and make mistakes work for you. Does your opponent make you angry? Waitzkin describes how to channel emotions into creative fuel. As he explains it, obstacles are not obstacles but challenges to overcome, to spur the growth process by turning weaknesses into strengths. He illustrates the exact routines that he has used in all of his competitions, whether mental or physical, so that you too can achieve your peak performance zone in any competitive or professional circumstance.

4.05 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 | 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 Open / Comment

2022-07-01 19:20:15 A man really becomes a man when he accepts total responsibility—he is responsible for whatsoever he is. This is the first courage, the greatest courage. Very difficult to accept it, because the mind goes on saying, “If you are responsible, why do you create it?” To avoid this we say that somebody else is responsible: “What can I do? I am helpless … I am a victim! I am being tossed from here and there by greater forces than me and I cannot do anything. So at the most I can cry about being miserable and become more miserable by crying.” And everything grows—if you practice it, it grows. Then you go deeper and deeper … you sink in deeper and deeper. Open / Comment

2022-06-21 03:26:06 "For a long time, I thought I had time. We always think we have time. We constantly put off for tomorrow what we can do today. And we also base our happiness on this concept." Open / Comment

2022-06-08 10:41:49 - Addiction is the progressive narrowing of the things that bring you pleasure.
- A good life is a progressive expansion of the things that bring you pleasure.

Neuroscientist explains why the First Hour of The Morning is Crucial.

Full Interview here. Open / Comment

2022-06-06 14:40:02 “Remember, it is not enough to be hit or insulted to be harmed, you must believe that you are being harmed. If someone succeeds in provoking you, realize that your mind is complicit in the provocation. Which is why it is essential that we not respond impulsively to impressions; take a moment before reacting, and you will find it easier to maintain control.”

- Epictetus Open / Comment

2022-06-02 08:36:54 When I look up in the universe, I know I’m small, but I’m also big. I’m big because I’m connected to the universe and the universe is connected to me.” - Neil deGrasse Tyson Open / Comment

2022-06-01 06:10:33 Receive feedback, maintain hunger, and chart a proper course in life. Pride dulls these senses. Or in other cases, it tunes up other negative parts of ourselves: sensitivity, a persecution complex, the ability to make everything about us. Open / Comment

2022-05-27 21:30:01 A Contemplation for the weekend

Can you handle success? Or will it be the worst thing that ever happened to you? Open / Comment

2022-05-26 14:35:01 He said, "For a woman of your age and education to talk such nonsense is shocking. Why would dragons appear among the main enemies of man? Why not other living beings with a hundred times more victims than dragons? Why not hirikkhis, giant centipedes, manticores, amphisbaena or griffons? Why not wolves?"

The sorceress looked at him and smiled, only with her lips.
"Let me tell you. The superiority of man over other breeds and species, the fight for his rightful place in nature, his vital place, will only succeed when man has put an end to his aggressive, nomadic search for food, where he moves about in accordance with the changing of the seasons. Otherwise, it will be impossible for him to multiply quickly enough. Humanity is a child without any real independence. A woman can only give birth safely sheltered by the walls of a city or a fortified town.

Fertility, is what's needed for development, survival and domination. Then we come to dragons: only a dragon can threaten a city or fortified town, no other monster. If dragons are not exterminated, humans will scatter to ensure their security instead of uniting against it. If a dragon breathes fire on a densely populated quarter, it's a catastrophe - a terrible massacre with hundreds of victims. That's why every last dragon must be wiped out.", She replied with tense face.

He looked at her with a strange smile.
"You know, I'd prefer not be alive when the time comes that your idea of man's domination will come true and the time when the same will take up their rightful place in nature. Fortunately, it will never arrive. You will consume each other, you will poison yourselves, you will succumb to fever and typhus, because it will be filth and lice, not dragons, that will threaten your splendid cities where the women give birth every year, but where only one newborn baby out of ten will succeed in living more than ten days. Yes, Yennefer, of course: breeding, breeding and more breeding. Take care, my dear, go and make some babies, as it's a more natural function with which to occupy yourself rather than wasting time spouting nonsense. Goodbye."

The Sword of Destiny,
The Witcher II Open / Comment

2022-05-24 09:32:38 Euthymia

“What you desire, to be undisturbed, is a great thing, nay, the greatest thing of all, and one which raises a man almost to the level of a god. The Greeks call this calm steadiness of mind euthymia … What we are seeking, then, is how the mind may always pursue a steady, unruffled course, may be pleased with itself, and look with pleasure upon its surroundings, and experience no interruption of this joy, but abide in a peaceful condition without being ever either elated or depressed: this will be ‘peace of mind.'”
- Seneca

Euthymia, translated to English as Tranquility, the calmness of the mind is one of the greatest qualities to live a peaceful and successful life. It is the quality of being undisturbed by any other external factors.

You see after you set a goal and set out for it, you begin to meet others who are better than you, who have more experience, who have a mastery. And the ego, being an ego, always wants to be better, to have more than, and to be more impressive than the others, or from anyone ever you get to know. And the outcome? Not Pleasant. You start to pick up the pace to level up with others; You begin to compare yourself with others; You begin to adjust your choices, your decisions to get better than others. And what happens? You end up far away from your initial vision, or goal. You disturbed your path, your plan to adjust to the outside.

Life is full of trade-offs. The popular saying, "You can't have your cake and eat it." sums it up. But the ego wants it all. Because you can do it all, you can get it all.
The reality is far on the opposite end. You have to choose, and forsake the rest, say "No" to whatever takes you aside from your journey. Staying determined, undisturbed, and calm. There you can achieve tranquility, calmness, and joy with yourself. There you achieve independence. Open / Comment