Most business books revolve around a single idea that is presented from different angles. The same goes for many scientific essays, which tend to be longer, but contain few new ideas. Occasionally, hundreds of pages will be devoted to justifying points which readers might find self-evident.
Darwin's volume on the origin of species was the result of ten years of study and reflection. He actually wrote several outlines before he got down to drafting the book itself. The text, which you will need hours to read, contains dozens of elaborate descriptions and examples. Nonetheless, the message of the book can be summarized on a single page.
There is a reason why apparently simple ideas require a long exposition. Authors of those books are, for the most part, neither foolish nor focused on selling overblown banalities. Certainly, that was not the case of Charles Darwin.
A high dose of realism is the rationale for the extensive treatment of subjects. On the same grounds, engineers take safety margins when they design a new bridge, a ship, or an aeroplane. The truth known by every conscientious professional is that failure lurks around every corner. For sculptors, poets, and performers of all sorts, failure is called rejection.
Romantic movies paint situations where chance aligns all factors for success. A happy end ensues as protagonists collect their dues without effort and against all odds. Fiction of the worst kind renders credibility to fantasy, leading readers to feel dejected by reality and disappointed by life. This is something that you want to avoid.
You will much better off if you face obstacles using reason and experience as your allies. This is what skilled entrepreneurs do. Whether you take up playing golf or acting, you'd better prepare yourself for strenuous practice and open criticism.
In difficult undertakings, your efforts might remain only moderately effective for an extended period of time and rightly so. Lengthy expositions acknowledge the fact that even simple ideas will be misunderstood by many people. TV advertisers address their commercials to millions, knowing that the great majority won't buy their products.
The rule of the world is that most things won't work and that most attempts won't result in success. Rejection and miscommunication are not exceptions, but everyday events. Face negative results and use wisdom to deal with them. Great ambitions are never easily accomplished. Achieving them requires effort and patience. Those two are the elements you need. Keep that in mind and move on. [Text: http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com]
[Image by Schristia under Creative Commons Attribution License. See the license terms under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us]
Most
business books revolve around a single idea that is presented from
different angles. The same goes for many scientific essays, which tend
to be longer, but contain few new ideas. Occasionally, hundreds of pages
will be devoted to justifying points which readers might find
self-evident.
Darwin's volume on the origin of species was the
result of ten years of study and reflection. He actually wrote several
outlines before he got down to drafting the book itself. The text, which
you will need hours to read, contains dozens of elaborate descriptions
and examples. Nonetheless, the message of the book can be summarized on a
single page.
There is a reason why apparently simple ideas require a long
exposition. Authors of those books are, for the most part, neither
foolish nor focused on selling overblown banalities. Certainly, that was
not the case of Charles Darwin.
A high dose of realism is the
rationale for the extensive treatment of subjects. On the same grounds,
engineers take safety margins when they design a new bridge, a ship, or
an aeroplane. The truth known by every conscientious professional is
that failure lurks around every corner. For sculptors, poets, and
performers of all sorts, failure is called rejection.
Romantic
movies paint situations where chance aligns all factors for success. A
happy end ensues as protagonists collect their dues without effort and
against all odds. Fiction of the worst kind renders credibility to
fantasy, leading readers to feel dejected by reality and disappointed by
life. This is something that you want to avoid.
You will much
better off if you face obstacles using reason and experience as your
allies. This is what skilled entrepreneurs do. Whether you take up
playing golf or acting, you'd better prepare yourself for strenuous
practice and open criticism.
In difficult undertakings, your
efforts might remain only moderately effective for an extended period of
time and rightly so. Lengthy expositions acknowledge the fact that even
simple ideas will be misunderstood by many people. TV advertisers
address their commercials to millions, knowing that the great majority
won't buy their products.
The rule of the world is that most
things won't work and that most attempts won't result in success.
Rejection and miscommunication are not exceptions, but everyday events.
Face negative results and use wisdom to deal with them. Great ambitions
are never easily accomplished. Achieving them requires effort and
patience. Those two are the elements you need. Keep that in mind and move on.
[Text: http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com]
[Image by Schristia under Creative Commons Attribution License. See the license terms under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us]
A free e-book presentation of my work “The 10 Principles of Rational Living” can be downloaded in this link
A free e-book presentation of my work “The 10 Principles of Rational Living” can be downloaded in this link
As a result, from each of those books, all that I retained were a couple of conclusions. The effort of reading hundreds of pages was not wasted, since I have implemented many of those ideas with good success. The following twelve habits have served me particularly well. I like to think that I owe them, at least in part, the good health that I enjoy.
[1] Choose whole-grain products: The reason for this is that whole grains contain beneficial minerals, vitamins, and fibre that are not present in white flour.
Indisputably, white-flour products, such as pastries, look more inviting to the eye than those made of whole-grains, but the latter are much better for your health. Explore the shelves of your local supermarket and, in the next weeks, try different whole-grain products to see which ones you like best.
[2] Drink green tea: From all herbal infusions, green tea contains one of the highest percentages of polyphenol, a natural substance that helps combat bacteria and viruses. Apparently, green tea also has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system because it helps decrease low-density cholesterol.
[3] Minimize your sugar consumption: eating sugar, which is highly pleasurable, increases glucose levels in your blood. That phenomenon leads your pancreas to produce additional insulin and your liver to produce triglycerides, which cause your cells to age prematurely. Obesity, which has taken epidemic proportions in some countries, is often linked to excessive sugar consumption.
[4] Consume salt sparingly: Too much sodium in your diet has an adverse effect on your body because it tends to raise blood pressure. In addition, excessive salt consumption disrupts the sodium-potassium balance in your cells, leads them to multifunction, and accelerates ageing.
[5] Choose high-quality proteins and fat: fish, in particular oily fish such as salmon, contains first-class protein and fat for the human body. The benefits of abandoning red meat and, instead, consuming fish regularly can result, within weeks, in a better complexion.
[6] Eat some nuts every day: they contain poly-unsaturated fats and selenium, which are both excellent for human health. Selenium, in combination with vitamin E, has been proven to strengthen our immune system. It helps combat viral infections and keeps our heart, liver, and pancreas healthy.
[7] Maintain a stable weight: this is extremely easy if you are a disciplined person and almost impossible otherwise. The best way to attain this goal is to have a scale at home and check your weight regularly. As soon as you see it deviate from your target, simply adapt your diet during the following week until your weight returns to the desired level.
[8] Set limits to stress: define in advance how much you are able to do. When your hours are full, you know that you cannot take any additional burden without first removing some item from your previous to-do list. Write things down and do not let problems linger in your head. As soon as you decide to drop an activity, cross it out from your list.
[9] Consume tomatoes regularly: they are available at affordable prices in most areas and they are excellent for human health. Tomatoes, which are an essential component of the Mediterranean diet, contain a natural substance called lycopene that helps protect our cells. Studies have shown tomatoes to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
[10] Eat fibre every day: vegetables and legumes contain fibre, an element that cleans our digestive system and helps stabilize glucose levels in our blood. Fibre also plays a role in preventing diabetes, appendicitis, and colon cancer. Whole grains are an excellent source of fibre.
[11] Walk at least half an hour a day: you don't need to kill yourself with exercise in order to enjoy its benefits. If you are too busy during the day, try to find time in the evening to take a brisk walk.
This type of exercise does not require sophisticated equipment and can be practised in most places, even if your work requires you to travel frequently.
[12] Eat garlic: amongst its many benefits, garlic enhances our immune system and helps lower blood pressure. The effects of garlic to combat sickness were already known in antiquity. Modern studies have confirmed its powers to fight viruses and bacteria, as well as its ability to lower blood sugar levels.
Discard the idea that you are going to change your lifestyle overnight. Despite extraordinary success stories shown on television, almost nobody is able to do that. The key to improving your health is to acquire better habits. Fundamental transformation takes substantial effort.
From time to time, your progress will relapse and you will fall back on previous patterns. View those as opportunities to renew your commitment to change. Acquiring better habits is a strenuous undertaking that pays off handsomely over time.
One day, after you have rebuilt your life around a wholesome diet and regular exercise, your new routines will have become so ingrained that you won't consider living otherwise. Your increased vitality will be there for all to see and for you to enjoy, hopefully for many decades to come.[Text: http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com]
[Image by amaianos under Creative Commons Attribution License. See the license terms under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us]
Overcomplicated prescriptions discourage individuals from taking action
to improve their lives. Through the years, I have read a large number of
health books that offered unworkable advice. The theories that they
espoused were confusing and often contradictory. Their recommendations
proved, on many occasions, too impractical or expensive to implement.
As
a result, from each of those books, all that I retained were a couple
of conclusions. The effort of reading hundreds of pages was not wasted,
since I have implemented many of those ideas with good success. The
following twelve habits have served me particularly well. I like to
think that I owe them, at least in part, the good health that I enjoy.
[1]
Choose whole-grain products: The reason for this is that whole grains
contain beneficial minerals, vitamins, and fibre that are not present in
white flour.
Indisputably, white-flour products, such as
pastries, look more inviting to the eye than those made of whole-grains,
but the latter are much better for your health. Explore the shelves of
your local supermarket and, in the next weeks, try different whole-grain
products to see which ones you like best.
[2] Drink green tea:
From all herbal infusions, green tea contains one of the highest
percentages of polyphenol, a natural substance that helps combat
bacteria and viruses. Apparently, green tea also has a beneficial effect
on the cardiovascular system because it helps decrease low-density
cholesterol.
[3] Minimize your sugar consumption: eating sugar,
which is highly pleasurable, increases glucose levels in your blood.
That phenomenon leads your pancreas to produce additional insulin and
your liver to produce triglycerides, which cause your cells to age
prematurely. Obesity, which has taken epidemic proportions in some
countries, is often linked to excessive sugar consumption.
[4]
Consume salt sparingly: Too much sodium in your diet has an adverse
effect on your body because it tends to raise blood pressure. In
addition, excessive salt consumption disrupts the sodium-potassium
balance in your cells, leads them to multifunction, and accelerates
ageing.
[5] Choose high-quality proteins and fat: fish, in
particular oily fish such as salmon, contains first-class protein and
fat for the human body. The benefits of abandoning red meat and,
instead, consuming fish regularly can result, within weeks, in a better
complexion.
[6] Eat some nuts every day: they contain
poly-unsaturated fats and selenium, which are both excellent for human
health. Selenium, in combination with vitamin E, has been proven to
strengthen our immune system. It helps combat viral infections and keeps
our heart, liver, and pancreas healthy.
[7] Maintain a stable
weight: this is extremely easy if you are a disciplined person and
almost impossible otherwise. The best way to attain this goal is to have
a scale at home and check your weight regularly. As soon as you see it
deviate from your target, simply adapt your diet during the following
week until your weight returns to the desired level.
[8] Set
limits to stress: define in advance how much you are able to do. When
your hours are full, you know that you cannot take any additional burden
without first removing some item from your previous to-do list. Write
things down and do not let problems linger in your head. As soon as you
decide to drop an activity, cross it out from your list.
[9]
Consume tomatoes regularly: they are available at affordable prices in
most areas and they are excellent for human health. Tomatoes, which are
an essential component of the Mediterranean diet, contain a natural
substance called lycopene that helps protect our cells. Studies have
shown tomatoes to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
[10] Eat
fibre every day: vegetables and legumes contain fibre, an element that
cleans our digestive system and helps stabilize glucose levels in our
blood. Fibre also plays a role in preventing diabetes, appendicitis, and
colon cancer. Whole grains are an excellent source of fibre.
[11]
Walk at least half an hour a day: you don't need to kill yourself with
exercise in order to enjoy its benefits. If you are too busy during the
day, try to find time in the evening to take a brisk walk.
This
type of exercise does not require sophisticated equipment and can be
practised in most places, even if your work requires you to travel
frequently.
[12] Eat garlic: amongst its many benefits, garlic
enhances our immune system and helps lower blood pressure. The effects
of garlic to combat sickness were already known in antiquity. Modern
studies have confirmed its powers to fight viruses and bacteria, as well
as its ability to lower blood sugar levels.
Discard the idea
that you are going to change your lifestyle overnight. Despite
extraordinary success stories shown on television, almost nobody is able
to do that. The key to improving your health is to acquire better
habits. Fundamental transformation takes substantial effort.
From
time to time, your progress will relapse and you will fall back on
previous patterns. View those as opportunities to renew your commitment
to change. Acquiring better habits is a strenuous undertaking that pays
off handsomely over time.
One day, after you have rebuilt your
life around a wholesome diet and regular exercise, your new routines
will have become so ingrained that you won't consider living otherwise.
Your increased vitality will be there for all to see and for you to
enjoy, hopefully for many decades to come.
[Text: http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com]
[Image by amaianos under Creative Commons Attribution License. See the license terms under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us]
A free e-book presentation of my work “The 10 Principles of Rational Living” can be downloaded in this link
A free e-book presentation of my work “The 10 Principles of Rational Living” can be downloaded in this link
