I had been reading up on Ubuntu (the operating system) when I came across ubuntu!: An Inspiring Story About an African Tradition of Teamwork and Collaboration (the book) at the library. It was obvious from the subtitle that this was not a book about the OS, but the title pulled me in to at least [...]
Also tagged 2.0, Balance, Books, LifeLike Rework (which I reviewed last week), Ignore Everybody is my kind of book. Written by Hugh MacLeod of gapingvoid.com, it is made up of 40 short essays that each dive into a very specific idea or question. And pictures, lots of pictures from the cube-grenade gallery at gapingvoid.com. Based on many years of experience, [...]
Also tagged Books, Creativity, DeliberatePractice, learning, Life, Mastery, Work as ArtOf all of the daily meditations in 365 Tao, yesterday’s meditation on Engagement is the one that most deeply resonates for me: Prey passes the tiger who Sometimes merely looks, Sometimes pounces without hesitation, But never fails to act. Don’t just let life pass you by. Engage with it, be aware of all of the [...]
Also tagged Life, MasteryIn his book Outliers: The Story of Success (which I will be reviewing soon), Malcolm Gladwell discusses the 10,000 hour rule, which states that to achieve mastery – of anything – requires 10,000 hours of deliberate practice. (Readers of Geoff Colvin’s Talent is Overrated will recognize this idea, as well.) This is, to put it [...]
Also tagged DeliberatePractice, learning, Life, Mastery, thinkingLast night I attended my first kendo class. As a beginner, I felt clumsy and awkward as I tried to coordinate my footwork, proper holding of the shinai, and basic overhead strikes. And awed as I watched the senior members of the club do some free sparring toward the end of class. I am looking [...]
Also tagged Aikido, Books, kendo, learning, Life, Mastery, passion, Work as ArtToday is an interesting day for me. It is the first day that I am living beyond the age that my dad was when he died. Although I don’t feel old – and my kids would tell you I don’t act old, or at least not my age – knowing that I have now outlived [...]
Also tagged LifeWhen I was young, I went to see Raiders of the Lost Ark with my mom. At the conclusion of the opening sequence, as Indy’s escape plane flies away, my mom leaned over and said, “Oh my God. Is the whole movie going to be like this?” I had a very similar feeling when – on [...]
Also tagged Books, Concept Work, learning, Life, Mastery, passion, thinking, Work, Work as ArtIn the letter that he sent along with the early review copies of his new book Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?, Seth Godin asks us to “read it through (twice if you can)” before we review it. I get the impression from his letter, and from his introduction to the book, that he expects many people won’t like [...]
Also tagged Books, DeliberatePractice, Education, learning, Life, linchpin, Mastery, WorkIn his recent Zen Habits‘ article How Passion and Focus Will Rock Your Career, guest blogger Corbett Barr poses what he calls the “jack of all trades” question: Is it better to be a Renaissance man or woman and be good at a lot of different things or to be laser-focused and really great at one specific [...]
Also tagged DeliberatePractice, learning, Life, Mastery, thinking, WorkJust inside the entrance to the Art of Living Building in Downtown St. Louis is the following quote: A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his WORK and his PLAY his LABOR and his LEISURE his MIND and his BODY his EDUCATION and his RECREATIONS. He hardly knows which is which. He [...]
Also tagged Balance, DeliberatePractice, learning, Life, Mastery, Work
