It’s Okay If You’re Not Resilient. Why You Can’t Trust Yourself - Mark Manson - Pocket. Bertrand Russell famously said, “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are so certain of themselves and wiser people so full of doubts.” Over the years, I’ve hammered on the importance of becoming comfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity, in questioning all of your most cherished beliefs and dreams, on practicing skepticism, and doubting everything, most importantly yourself. Throughout these posts, I’ve hinted at the fact that our brains are fundamentally unreliable, that we really have no clue what we’re talking about, even when we think we do, and so on.
But I’ve never given concrete examples or explanations. Well, here they are. Eight reasons you can’t trust yourself, as demonstrated by psychology. Stop Being an Emotional Idiot Discover tips to become more self-aware, empathetic and emotionally intelligent. 49-page guide. 1. There’s a thing in psychology called the Actor-Observer Bias and it basically says that we’re all assholes. We all do this. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. How Our Internal Critics Enslave Us. One of Maurice Sendak’s illustrations for the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. I have thought and continued to think a great deal about the relationship between critical thinking and cynicism — what is the tipping point past which critical thinking, that centerpiece of reason so vital to human progress and intellectual life, stops mobilizing our constructive impulses and topples over into the destructiveness of impotent complaint and embittered resignation, begetting cynicism?
In giving a commencement address on the subject, I found myself contemplating anew this fine but firm line between critical thinking and cynical complaint. To cross it is to exile ourselves from the land of active reason and enter a limbo of resigned inaction. But cross it we do, perhaps nowhere more readily than in our capacity for merciless self-criticism. One of Salvador Dalí’s illustrations for the essays of Montaigne We are continually, if unconsciously, mutilating and deforming our own character. Guided Breathwork Meditation. The Simplest, Best Tool for Personal Wellness: Breathing. 5 Zen Principles To Live By - Darius Foroux - Pocket. I love practical advice that you can immediately apply to your life. And Zen, a school of Mahayana Buddhism, is full of practical wisdom. When I tell my friends, colleagues, and people I work with that I like reading about Zen Buddhism, they often make remarks like: “When are you going to grow your hair, walk around bare feet, and talk about yoga all day?”
That’s the hipster way of life. Not the Zen way. What is Zen, actually? To be honest, I don’t know. It’s not a religion, belief, or piece of knowledge. I started reading more about Zen when I learned that legendary basketball coach Phil Jackson is very into Zen and used the concepts to coach Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. And especially Kobe, a person who I have immense respect for, embraced Zen principles. Phil Jackson also mentions a Zen quote in his book Eleven Rings (which is about the championship runs of the Chicago Bulls and LA Lakers): “Before enlightenment chop wood and carry water. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Don’t rush life. The Three Levels of Self-Awareness - Mark Manson - Pocket. Choice page. I'm taking Yale's class on happiness — and halfway through, these 4 tricks are already working. 10 Minutes of Mindfulness Changes Your Reactions - Harvard Business Review - Pocket. Leaders across the globe feel that the unprecedented busyness of modern-day leadership makes them more reactive and less proactive.
There is a solution to this hardwired, reactionary leadership approach: mindfulness. Having trained thousands of leaders in the techniques of this ancient practice, we’ve seen over and over again that a diligent approach to mindfulness can help people create a one-second mental space between an event or stimulus and their response to it. One second may not sound like a lot, but it can be the difference between making a rushed decision that leads to failure and reaching a thoughtful conclusion that leads to increased performance. It’s the difference between acting out of anger and applying due patience.
Research has found that mindfulness training alters our brains and how we engage with ourselves, others, and our work. One second can be the difference between achieving desired results or not. Practice 10 minutes of mindfulness training each day.