Stay on Offense Climb Mountains

Attacking Adversity

Bookish Weapon Number Sixty-Seven

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“Hero On A Mission,” is one of the better books I have re-read recently again and it was just published this year. It is a book about purpose and story. Your and my story!

Did you know you were involved in a story? Has your story lost your interest? These are questions the author asks of us and he gives excellent advice.

Our Stories

On a page even before the introduction Miller states, “I don’t think any of us should trust fate to write the story of our lives. Fate is a terrible writer.

We are all in stories and they have characters in them just like all stories. There is the victim, the villain, the hero and the guide. Do you recognize any of these in your life?

Control

In self help books you can read a lot about how you should focus on what you can control and ignore the rest. So how much can you control? Miller makes the argument that “…a human being has a ridiculous amount of personal agency. A person’s reaction to a set of circumstances dramatically affects how their story plays out.”

He goes on and says, “The character who becomes the victim believes they are helpless and acts out of that belief. The character who becomes the hero accepts their agency and rises up against their circumstances.” How does this speak to your life?

Accomplish Something Important

Miller says that what we all need to do is “…throw yourself into a story in which you try to accomplish something important.”

He goes on to say, “If we don’t want something, face our challenges, and try hard things, our life stories don’t work either.” You can just “dream up” a story for yourself and live “like a hero on a mission.” Miller says you have to sit and think about everything you have overcome in your life to realize your strength.

Want Something

The author says we need to want something! He says many have killed their desire and any story needs to be about a character who wants something.

He says, “When you define specific destination for your life, your story will begin to take shape and you’ll become more interested in your own life.” “Discipline is a good bit easier to come by if you have narrative traction in your life.” So he asks, “What is the thing you just have to do?

What If

I loved this little exercise. He says to ask yourself, “What if?” Simple, right? What if I sold everything and moved to Portugal? What if I quit my job? He says “what if” leads to adventure.

He uses what if questions when he writes books and gets stuck, but he says, “Asking What if can drive incredible change in your life and give you a terrific reason to get out of bed in the morning.”

Narrative

Miller says “narrative traction” is “the feeling that our personal story is so interesting we can’t turn away.” You could even join an existing mission!

Questions to ask yourself once you start to build your life plan include: “What will you build? What story will you join? What could your life look like one year, five years, and ten years from now?

So that’s the first half of the book. The second half is how to set up a plan for your life. Get the book and read it! There is so much more to learn!

Bookish Weapon Number Sixty-Six

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Boyd Varty has written a book everyone should read for these reasons, 1) It’s discusses lions 2) It’s very short and 3) it will help you find your “track.” ons

Of course I guess I am assuming you are interested in lions, you want save time and your looking for your “track.”

Your Track

So what is your track? According to Varty it is from a life perspective the path to your purpose and it can be the track you are following to find a lion. A Rhino taught him something from the path he walked. That you need to “find the thing that is so engaging that it makes you forget yourself.”

Varty converts the lessons he has learned tracking animals into life lessons that all of us can use.

The Lions

What I found to be the most interesting thing in the whole book was what the author tells us about lions. For instance, did you know that a full grown make lion can get up to 400 pounds? You knew that? But did you know that same 400 pound lion can run 109 years (longer than a football field) in 4 seconds? I didn’t either!

What else? Did you know that other cats like the Jaguar or Leopard do not want to fight because it is too easy for them to get a fatal wound. However, the make lion, because he has the mane protecting his neck is much more aggressive! Yeah, I didn’t know that either.

The Journey

When you are tracking a lion the track can take a lot of turns. You can even lose it says the author. Then you use instinct to find it again. Your fate and the animals seem to be intertwined. This is like life he says.

He reflects on this by saying, “I thought of all the people I had met who wanted a full vision for a new life and then to move from where they were straight into it. I thought of all the people who had told me that when they knew exactly what they wanted to do, they would leave the soul-destroying thing that they were currently involved with. Obsessed with perfection and doing it right, we want to go straight to the “lion.” We don’t realize the significance of the path of first tracks and how to be invested in a discovery rather than an outcome.”

Renias

Renias is a friend of Varty. His ancestors tracked lions for food and he has taught Varty and others the skill. (They don’t track them for food or to kill them. They find them so tourists can see them). Renias is an “interesting” man. For example, he considers treadmills ridiculous!

That’s not all. He doesn’t think time is money, doesn’t talk politics, “when it’s time to work, he works. When it’s time to rest, he rests.” Varty says, “the aboriginals used to say of modern life, “It’s three days deep.” In three days in wilderness, you learn what’s important and your mind changes. Your way of being shifts.”

Stories

Even if you do not read this book, please listen to some of Varty’s stories. He is an excellent story teller who knows how to make the sounds of the jungle. You think you’re right there!

I do hope you read the book. It’s short like I said and packed with interesting information.

Bookish Weapon Number Sixty-Five

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Alex Lickerman, MD wrote this book in 2012, but it is even ore timely today. Who wouldn’t want a mind that could not be defeated?

It gives us some practical advice on how to help our minds deal with the things that threaten to overthrow them. What a great bookish weapon to have in your back pack!

Nichiren Buddhism Impact

Lickerman practices Nichiren Buddhism and a lot of the book draws on those beliefs. Individuals who practice this type of Buddhism chant. I knew some people in the past that chanted every day. Lickerman discusses his chanting practice and how it has helped him, but his approach to having an undefeated mind is filled with these beliefs.

An example is that Nichiren Buddhism believes that wisdom is the catalyst to inner strength and is obtained from experiencing adversity. Lickerman combined this philosophy with modern science to produce the book.

Chronic Pain

Although I believe many suffer far more pain than myself, recently I have developed what is termed idiopathic neuropathy and at night the pain in my foot wakes me up. So I was very interested in what Lickerman had to say about the subject.

He says, “…though we may be tempted to believe patients with chronic pain who choose to suffer it rather than kill themselves do so because they want to survive even at the cost of their happiness, the more likely explanation is that their personal degree of pain tolerance enables them to remain happy despite their discomfort.” Interesting!

Suffering

The author tells us that Nichiren Buddhism says “We don’t suffer because we face obstacles; we suffer because we face obstacles we don’t believe we can overcome.” I believe the is very true. You need to believe that obstacles make you stronger. My nightly pain is helps me be more compassionate with others suffering and I feel stronger because of it.

Lickerman sounds like he agrees with me when he says that “…victory over obstacles that confront us isn’t as much about liberating ourselves from adversity as it is about obtaining the greatest benefit possible as a result of having encountered it.” And he continues, “…a problem is solved when it no longer makes us suffer.”

Creating Value

Lickerman believes that “…creating value for others is the key to attaining happiness for ourselves.” He goes on to discuss how altruism causes happiness and that “…the more value we create for others, the more value we assign ourselves.”

It is all tied to your purpose in life. As the author says, “So maybe creating value for others doesn’t increase our long-term happiness because it enhances our self-esteem ,but because it enhances our sense of purpose.”

So Much More

Is that it? Just abide by the above and you will have an undefeated mind? No, that is just the first of many offered in this book. In fact the above just takes you to page 26 of a 248 page book.

Why does that mean? It means if you want to find out about how idolizing the “road not taken” can lead to suffering, you need to read the book. There is so much more!

Bookish Weapon Number Sixty-Four

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What do you think about Artificial Intelligence? Or, have you given it much thought at all? Well, Mo Gawdat has written “Scary Smart,” which is all about our little robot friends. He says they are getting smarter and will soon be at the level of the title of his book.

Have you watched any of the Boston Dynamics videos demonstrating their various robots and what they can do? You probably have and have been amazed like me.

Next Level

According to Gawdat, robots learn fast. As Mo says, “the smartest gamers in the world are no longer humans.” Wow! Isn’t that something! He gives some great examples and before you can digest that he says that, “the smartest communicators in the world today are no longer humans. The smartest are artificial intelligence machines.” What? That is really interesting. But then just before you turn your attention to what your five year old is doing, he says, “the smartest visual observers are o longer humans.The markets are artificial intelligence machines.”

“The sci-fi we imagined the past, has, somehow, created our present.” Robots and humans fight it out in the sci-fi movies like “Skynet.” Is that what our future will be like? Do humans “intentionally relinquish control?” Lots of possibilities.

Even Scarier

The first part of the excellent book will scare you. In fact, most of it will scare you. That is a good thing according to Mo. He wants you really scared. So he talks about how AI will outsmart humans and bad things will happen.

What bad things? Use your imagination. What if the bad guys teach an AI to control the stock market? What if they teach them to kill people? It goes on and on. And bad things will happen even if we get the right handle on everything.

What to Do?

Gawdat says we need to treat AI machines like they were children. We teach children how to be good and not bad. What is the best way to teach children that? By example. If AI learns that we value money and power above all else then that is what they will learn.

In the last part of the book Gawdat writes as if he were writing directly to the machines that, he says, are going to be reading his book. He tries to convince them that we mean no harm and we are trying to help them and be their moral examples. And we need to accept the machines as part of our life. Maybe someday you will have a new hiking partner!

There is so much more n this book. It will make you think about the future like nothing else. So get it and read it of course!

Bookish Weapon Number Sixty-Three

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Joel Osteen is the most positive Pastor on the planet. Casey Treat might be a close second, but Joel has him beat I think. Joel’s newest book, “You Are Stronger Than You Think,” does not disappoint.

This book is for people who are having some difficulty in life. They might be in debt or just got fired or divorced. It is also for ay one who, as the subtitle says, want “to go bigger, go bold, and go beyond what limits you.”

Invite God Into Your Problems

This book is is not just for Christians, but for those that might be interested in Christianity too. I mention that because the book is full of God talk. One of the first things Joel talks about is not just praying to God to take away your difficulty, but to “invite God into your difficulties.”

I thought that was particularly powerful, because people get stronger not when they have no challenges but when they get through them. If you invite God into them you have a better chance of overcoming whatever it is you are up against. As Joel says, “When you ask Him to come in, you’re saying, “God, don’t just change the situation, change me. Help me to not just go through this but to grow through it. Help me to learn, help me to develop greater confidence, increase my faith, and let my character come up higher.”

Don’t Let The Darkness Discourage You

Joel points out that God started everything in the dark and he quotes Genesis: “The evening and the morning were the first day.” He says that, “God chase to start the day in the dark on purpose.” “The dark means the sun is on the way up. The promise is about to come forth.”

He tells the story of Paul praising God at midnight in the prison and he says, “…just keep thanking Him that He’s making a way where you don’t see a way, then you’re going to come into these times where God will suddenly show out in your life. He’ll make things happen you couldn’t make happen.”

Nevertheless

This is a powerful word and one that thought made Joel’s book more inspiring. When things come against you Joel says to not stop with the facts. The doctor report is not good, but “nevertheless” good will heal me. My finances are a mess, but “nevertheless” God will Mae me a lender snd not a borrower. Joel says, When you add “nevertheless” that’s what allows God to do great things.”

Another example, “God, everything tells me it’s over; that it doesn’t make sense in the natural. I have been turned down again and again; nevertheless, at Your word I am going to try again. I’m going to keep believing.”

Testing

This may be my favorite part of the book. He titles the chapter “The Hot Winds of Testing.” Joel lints out that “God never said we wouldn’t have an evil day, a time of trouble. But he did promise that if you just send He will bring you out.”

And here is a great quote from the book, “You can’t judge God’s favor by the storms He kept you out of, but by the storms he brought you through.” And another! “ Without these hot winds of testing, without storms, without difficulties, our lives would be easier, but we wouldn’t develop properly.’ The is so true. Think about all the people you know who have never had any serious challenges in their lives. What happened to them when they were in the middle of a pandemic? They had no resources to cope.

As usual there is much more n the book so get it and read it!

Bookish Weapon Number Sixty-Two

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Scott Glassman wrote a book in 2013 called “A Happier You,” which is what I am going to summarize for you today. Recently, he wrote a new book, but I have not read it yet so I won’t comment.

“A Happier You,” is a step by step guide for becoming happier. It is a program really, which includes exercise you do every week. The question is how many people will take the time to do the exercises. Here are some of the highlights of the book.

Seven Weeks

The book is divided into seven weeks which include the following, catching positive events, exploring successes and personal strengths, cultivating gratitude, finding laughter and playfulness, fueling life with enjoyable and meaningful activities, reveling the springs of kindness and expanding the boundaries of love.

The author recommends that you not only do the exercises but do them several times per week. So this may be a book you want to read several times to get the full effect and to be sure to get your quota of exercises done.

Mountains

One of the things I liked was his use of mountains to explain concepts. He talks about listing “mountains” conquered during your week. It could include all your positive accomplishments or just major ones.

Then he says to ask yourself, “How do the smallest mountains I conquered this week move me closer to achieving my larger goals in life?”

Gratitude

Gratitude is a big part of feeling happier. I was not surprised when he included it. Every morning I write seven things down that I am grateful for including something that was bad but that had a silver lining.

The unique thing about how Glassman approaches this are the exercises. For example, he has you list common things you do every day and then gives you questions to ask that make them better. One question is, “How can I see this activity in my life as a gift?” Another great one is asking, “Is this something that would have been possible a hundred yeas ago? If not, how does that effect how much I appreciate it now?”

Meaning

Finding more meaning in your life should make you happier so the author spends some time helping you find it. Where? In new activities maybe. Or finding the meaning in existing activities.

Another part of this discussion includes values and the importance of fueling your activities by using values. You value fitness and health so you go hiking!

As usual there is a lot more in this book and I recommend you get it.