The Brain that Changes Itself

The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, MD

Genre: some might call it "Self-Help" but I refuse to apply that title to books due to the negative associations it musters.  I refer to this book as "Psychology, Neuroscience, and Lifestyle."

I'm no medical expert, not to mention neuroscience, so I put a lot of stock in books written by MDs.  The Brain that Changes itself is a sometimes fascinating, sometimes over my head analysis of "Brain Science" history chocked full of great tidbits for the average person.  I'm a bit of a non-fiction nut, so if you share that passion this book will be right up your alley.

At times I skimmed through 20-40 pages that, while peaking my interest, didn't really offer much in the way of insight.  Other times I couldn't put down my pen, taking notes on how to keep my brain young, how to overcome addictions and bad habits, and other extremely useful golden nuggets.  I try to find the golden nuggets that I can add to my mental library from every book, so if you're patient and an adept speed-reader I highly recommend this book.

Golden Nuggets:
-  "To keep the mind alive requires learning something truly new with intense focus." p.88
-  "The more we have, the more socially and physically active we are, and the more we participate in mentally stimulating activities, the less likely we are to get Alzheimer's disease or dementia...Those [activities] that involve genuine concentration - studying a musical instrument, playing board games, reading, [studying a foreign language], and dance - are associated with a lower risk of dementia." p.254
-  "Television watching, one of the signature activities of our culture, correlates with brain problems...For every hour of TV the toddlers watched each day, their chances of developing serious attentional difficulties at age seven increased 10%." p.307

Please do yourself a favor, put down the TV remote and pick up this book.  As you age it may save your life.

Rating: 4.5 bookmarks (out of 5)

http://www.normandoidge.com/normandoidge.com/MAIN.html

Learn Something New

Many of us tossed our learning caps after we tossed our graduation caps for the last time, shedding the oppressor that was homework, and putting away our reading glasses for a spot on the couch.

Perhaps not everyone enjoys learning as I do, but could that be because we are learning what others want us to learn?  The Math, Science, or Social Studies books are a thing of my past, as are many of the "classics" that bore me to tears; yet, other books sweep me off into distant lands, teach me how to live a better life, and inspire me to reach for the stars.  Reading opens your mind and imagination in a way television never can.

Learning doesn't just come from books.  Ever heard the term "if you don't use it you lose it?"  That applies to your brain (read The Brain that Changes Itself if you don't believe me).  Use your brain to learn new things.  Ever wanted to write a book?  Get started now, it doesn't have to be a masterpiece from day one.  Ever wanted to learn a new language?  Duolingo.com is free and easy to use.  Want to write a children's book?  Pick up a pencil or do some sketches.

What do you want to do?  Start today!  It doesn't have to be huge, just a small step today...another tomorrow...then a bigger one the next day...and so on.  In the process you'll learn something new, challenge your brain to not become a vegetable, and improve your life!


Some recommended reads:
Distant Lands
The Hobbit
The Divergent Trilogy
The Hunger Games Trilogy
Anything by James Wesley Rawles
Zombie Survival Guides, Star Wars, or whatever you're into

How to Live a Better Life
Anything by Larry Winget
You're Broke Because You Want to Be
Talent is Overrated

Inspiration
The Way of the Seal
The Reality-Based Rules of the Workplace
Fully Alive

The Shack

Finding Lifelong Joy

Millions of Americans find ourselves yokes with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.  We Americans love to spend our money – and then some – as demonstrated by our love/hate relationships with debs on a personal and professional level.  This love affair is a reflection of our deeply-routed insecurity in ourselves and our inability to discipline ourselves for what is best.  Instant gratification overwhelms our desire for sacrificial and meaningful gain.  But how do we overcome this addiction to debt, instant gratification, and short-termism?

        

         The simple answer is that we don’t overcome it, instead we pursue different avenues – healthy avenues – of gratification.  We slightly nudge our mindset toward those things that restrain our brains by loving what actually makes us happy.

         Philosophy is great, but how about some reality?  What practical, real life steps do we take to pursue lifelong joy rather than temporal and fleeting happiness?

Stay tuned…

Dreams Are Realized One Day at a Time

"Pursue your dreams."

It's the phrase so many of us are challenged by every day, but so few of us can grab hold of.  Why do our dreams elude us?  I am not sure about everyone else, but my dreams are so hard to grasp because they are so epically overwhelming and yet painfully vague.

My dream is nothing more or less than changing the world by helping people.  Something painfully complex yet remarkably simple…Today, I sat down and worked with an employee on an online training.  Halfway through, I asked him off-handedly "So, do you have much experience on the computer?”  I expected a “No,” but his answer stopped me in my tracks: “This is the first time I’ve ever used a computer.”  I sat, dumbfounded as he stared intently at a corporate training video, typing, clicking dragging, and learning something brand new.

Today, I changed the world.  I introduced someone to a computer who had never used one before.  WOW!  That’s the thing about pursuing your dreams, it starts now…if you’re watching for it.  Instead of focusing on the lofty life-long bucket list dream, sit down and outline what you can do today to get you one day closer to that dream.  After enough days of moving “one day closer,” you may be shocked to find yourself stepping into your dreams much sooner than you ever though possible.

“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did.” – T.E. Lawrence

The Success of Failure

In a society focused on the NOW, it is easy to get lost in the shuffle of today and forget about long-term goals, benchmarks, and ideas.  Maybe the idea that will cost you today will reap countless rewards down the road, or maybe not.  The great thing about trying something different, changing your perspective, and moving to the beat of a different drummer is that you set yourself apart…in success and failure.

What successful person has not failed?  Steve Jobs?  Failed at Apple the first time.  Martin Luther King Jr.?  Failed to change countless people’s perspectives.  Nelson Mandela?  Yeah, I am sure he felt like a success sitting in prison for years.  The list goes on and on, but one truth remains the same:

Whether in business, sports, activism, politics, family, or any other arena failure will happen, but success is not the absence of failure it is overcoming it.

A Sad Day in Paradise

Today is a sad day.  Today, an employee of one of my clients “position was eliminated.”  It happens all the time, for many reasons, but today I felt it rather keenly.  Imagine finding out a friend just moved to another city and you found out today…that’s how it felt.

I understand the business mentality and many times I am part of it a lot of times.  I get the need to make tough decisions in a “tough economy” in order to maximize profits…I do it all the time.  In fact, I was part of a similar process about three months ago.  We had two employees, one of their positions was eliminated, the other was reassigned to another location.  Honestly, I was the primary driving factor in eliminating one of the positions…so I get it.

What worries and saddens me is the lack of overall accountability in this picture.  I know, decision-makers can’t meet face-to-face with every “decision” they make and convey the news (that might have happened here, I don’t know all the details).  Oftentimes the people that make the decisions to lay people off, eliminate positions, and automate equipment are not the ones who feel the sting.

What we need is more accountability.  When I eliminated that position I did not feel the sting appropriately.  I justified…acknowledged…and framed things how I saw them, but in the end I feel the sting.  I miss that employee, and I think that’s what we need!  The people making the decisions should understand that “cutting costs” by eliminating positions must understand that “cutting costs” has costs. 

The cuts cost society jobs, employees, income, and people in the workforce (even if temporarily).  The cuts cost effectiveness of the employees in the environment.  We’ve all asked to be more with less, but the reality is that something is cut, something “unimportant…” perhaps something that our business was built on.  Finally, the cuts cost loyalty of the employees, after all, if someone is gone today I might be gone tomorrow.

We need to measure, assess, and weigh the costs of “cost-cutting” before making the decision.  The cuts might be necessary and best for the business, or they might not be…only time will tell.  Remember: consider long-term costs to short-term decisions.

I Want YOU to Succeed!

In a world that loves itself it’s easy to get caught in the never-ending spiral of “Me…me…ME,” but in the end it’s important to remember that we all need each other to succeed.  Over the past day I (a tried and true self-centered being) have been able to step back and say I want the best for others as well.

Situation #1

Background: we have an awesome Nanny that works for us.  My wife was talking about working from home a little more and I’m automatically thinking “YES, less expenses!”  Then my wise wife said, “Well, we need to make sure we’re paying consistently to ensure we keep our awesome Nanny.”  She’s so right, in order to keep great people you have to invest in them, not just pull the rug out from under them every time you get a chance.

Situation #2

Background: my Assistant Manager recently went to part time to go back to school.  While it creates some difficulties for me (I now share another AM type employee with another manager along with my PT’er), it actually is great.  I really hope he succeeds and finds something he loves to do.  In the end, our country needs smart, well-educated, driven, and capable people to run at every level, and if I can help make that happen I am making the world a better place.

Situation #3

Background: one of my work friends, from another company, is “going to win the Lottery tonight.”  He’s “going to win” a cool 2 mil, and walk away with about 800K or so (by his calculations).  While he’s offered me 5K, I really hope he succeeds.  He’s a smart, hard working, father of two, and I wish lots of success for him.  I’m sure I’d never see the 5K, but even so I hope he does win, as I think he deserves a break, and if I can help him in any way I want to do so.  We all need to wish joy and success on others, after all, if others aren’t happy with their lives they’ll probably spend a decent amount of time helping others join them.

Key Points

Point #1: In order to keep great people you have to invest in them, not just pull the rug out from under them every time you get a chance.

Point #2: In the end, our country needs smart, well-educated, driven, and capable people to run at every level, and if I can help make that happen I am making the world a better place.

Point #3: We all need to wish joy and success on others, after all, if others aren’t happy with their lives they’ll probably spend a decent amount of time helping others join them.