Turning Pro PDF Summary

Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Life’s Work

Just because you earn money to do a job doesn’t mean that you are a professional.

But you can become one if you follow Steven Pressfield’s advice.

“Turning Pro” has never been easier.

Who Should Read “Turning Pro”? And Why?

It’s there in the title: “Turning Pro” is about everyone who wants to become (and stay) a professional!

If “The War of Art” was all about the why and the how of becoming a professional, “Turning Pro” is about the when and the what if of being one.

True, Pressfield is a writer and writers may profit the most from his advice, but, compared to his previous books, “Turning Pro” is the most generic one, so it can be read as a standalone.

So, dig in!

About Steven Pressfield

Steven Pressfield is an American novelist and non-fiction author.

He debuted with the “golf novel” “The Legend of Bagger Vance” which, in 2000, was turned into a successful movie directed by Robert Redford and starring Matt Damon, Will Smith, and Charlize Theron.

Most of Pressfield’s other novels deal with subjects derived from ancient history: “Gates of Fire” is about the Battle of Thermopylae,” “Tides of War” about the Peloponnesian War, while “The Virtues of War” and “The Afghan Campaign” are both about Alexander the Great’s late conquests.

Pressfield’s debut nonfiction book, “The War of Art” was a huge hit – which inspired us to include it in our list of “6 books that will turn you into a great writer.” “Do the Work” and “Turning Pro” are its follow-ups.

“Turning Pro PDF Summary”

One of the key concepts in analytical psychology – Carl Jung’s idiosyncratic vision of a person’s wholeness – is the shadow, Jung’s attempt to root Freud’s id within our unconscious.

Basically, the shadow is the entirety of the repressed aspects of our personality, the unconscious facets of what we are which are so profoundly internalized that even our ego is unaware of their existence. Even so, helped by the superego, it works hard on eliminating them altogether.

Except, that’s not possible.

The result?

We live one life on the outside, and a completely different life is happening in our unconscious!

Now, in most cases, the shadow is fairly negative: it is the place which contains all our fears and anxieties, the least desirable qualities of our personality.

However, as Jung himself has implied in “Memories, Dreams, Reflections,” the shadow can sometimes be the seat of creativity as well: “the dark side of our being, our sinister shadow,” Jung notes, “may represent the true spirit of life as against the one of the arid scholar.”

Pressfield talks a lot about our Shadow Life.

Because, unfortunately, most of us live one.

The Shadow Life is the life of denial and addiction. In a nutshell, it means living the superficial aspects of the life we actually want – and can – live.

To extend on Jung’s note above – while still using Pressfield’s examples – living a shadow life means getting a Ph.D. in Elizabethan studies even though you are actually someone who’s got the writing itch inside you and would much rather write a tragedy or a comedy.

On the addiction’s side, it means drinking and using drugs – aka “living the drugs-and-booze half of the musician’s life” – without ever writing a song!

But it goes beyond art as well: you may be the next Tesla, working in a support capacity for an innovator!

All of these – they are traces of our true calling; but, since mere traces, they are essentially nothing more but a shadow calling.

And when we’re terrified of embracing our true calling, that’s what we end up with: pursuing a shadow calling and living a shadow life.

That is the life of the amateur:

Being amateur means being stuck in the past circumstances of your life and never growing up.

The amateur fears to define himself and this fear is what keeps him an amateur.

Whereas an amateur spends his time writing “shadow novels” (in his head) while publishing critical studies of other people’s novels in real-life, the professional says: “I’m a writer” and may even give up on his studies to finally start penning his real-life masterpieces!

The difference between an amateur and a professional is in their habits. An amateur has amateur habits. A professional has professional habits.

We can never free ourselves from habit. The human being is a creature of habit. But we can replace bad habits with good ones. We can trade in the habits of the amateur and the addict for the practice of the professional and the committed artist or entrepreneur.

In other words, giving up on your studies doesn’t mean not working – it means working more. That is if you want to be a professional.

And working more is always related to finding the right habits to guide you through the process.

Each and every one of us is a Minotaur: part artist and part addict.

If you want to become a professional, the point is to face your fears, find the thing which makes you an addict, and start pursuing it, thus activating the part of you which is an artist.

The rest is just building a routine around the right habits and enduring.

Key Lessons from “Turning Pro”

1.      Living in the Shadows
2.      Stop Being an Addict
3.      Become a Professional

Living in the Shadows

According to Freud, each of us has an id (our instinctual drives), an ego (an “I” which communicates our id in real-life terms: the reason why you’re not walking naked) and a super-ego (internalized culture and tradition).

Carl Jung added quite a few new agents to this psychic apparatus, all stemming from our unconscious, something Freud completely ignored. One of these agents is the shadow, the repressed aspects of our being.

Whether by longings, addictions, or superficial professions, these repressed aspects of our being try to communicate with us all the time, telling us, in no uncertain terms, that in fact, everything but them is our shadow life.

Stop Being an Addict

Once you face your fears and embrace your shadows, you may finally be able to transform your shadow life into something bigger and more important:

When we turn pro, the energy that once went into the Shadow Novel goes into the real novel. What we once thought was real — “the world,” including its epicenter, ourselves — turns out to be only a shadow. And what had seemed to be only a dream becomes, now, the reality of our lives.

Become a Professional

Being an amateur means living a shadow life.

Being a professional means going beyond that.

It’s usually a thorny path: it means adapting the right habits, working hard, passing through a membrane and giving birth to somebody else.

But it’s the right path because it’s the only one which will result in you finally living the life of the real you.

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“Turning Pro Quotes”

The sure sign of an amateur is he has a million plans and they all start tomorrow. Click To Tweet To feel ambition and to act upon it is to embrace the unique calling of our souls. Not to act upon that ambition is to turn our backs on ourselves and on the reason for our existence. Click To Tweet Turning pro is like kicking a drug habit or stopping drinking. It's a decision, a decision to which we must re-commit every day. Click To Tweet Many artists are addicts, and vice versa. Many are artists in one breath and addicts in another. What's the difference? The addict is the amateur; the artist is the professional. Click To Tweet The payoff of living in the past or the future is you never have to do your work in the present. Click To Tweet

Our Critical Review

“Turning Pro” is not a magic wand which will help you become a professional in the blink of an eye.

In fact, it’s anything but: it’s a book which elucidates that becoming a professional is actually a messy process, which has nothing to do with buying products or taking courses – but everything with changing the state of your mind and embracing your shadows.

Consider it more of a psychological preparatory class in professionalism than a how-to manual.

And since we sincerely believe that only the former are actually possible – we both appreciate Pressfield’s honesty and recommend this book.

Reinvent Yourself PDF Summary

Half a decade ago, James Altucher asked you to choose yourself.

Now, he’s back with another advice:

“Reinvent Yourself.”

Who Should Read “Reinvent Yourself”? And Why?

If you have heard anything about James Altucher, you probably already know that he is an incessant experimenter and that he absolutely abhors the idea of 9-to-5 jobs.

“Reinvent Yourself” is for those who share his hate on the latter and want to become the former.

About James Altucher

James Altucher is an American entrepreneur, podcaster, blogger, and bestselling author.

According to his count, he has founded more than 20 companies and has, in addition, invested in at least 30. Many of them have failed, but those which have succeeded have thriven.

Altucher hosts a famous podcast, “The James Altucher Show,” and has authored 18 books, including “Choose Yourself” and “The Rich Employee.”

“Reinvent Yourself PDF Summary”

The only thing constant in the life of James Altucher is, undoubtedly, his hair.

Everything else is flux and change, inventions and reinventions all across the board!

Who knows – T. S. Eliot may have written these beautiful two lines for him and not for some other guy with the initials J. A.: “In a minute there is time/ For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.”

After imploring you to choose yourself back in 2013, Altucher is now back with an update, telling you to reinvent yourself.

Constantly.

But what does he mean by reinvention?

Well, in his words,

Reinvention is life. This is the call to adventure that constantly whispers to us. Do we answer it? Do we take the call?

The answer, is, of course, a resounding “yes.”

And the way?

Well, start by redefining the word freedom.

Sure, the dictionary will tell you that freedom is “the condition of being free of restraints, especially the ability to act without control or interference by another or by circumstance,” but ask yourself: what does that mean in practice?

Capitalism should have – and, in some sense, it did – brought freedom, but why do you wake up each day at the same time with the same obnoxious alarm sound only to spend the next eight hours working a job you don’t actually like and the remaining few talking about how unhappy it makes you?

We’ll tell you why: because you need to have money to be free.

Which brings us back to Altucher’s main lesson from “Choose Yourself”: if you need money to be free, it’s pointless to earn them by not being free; so, find/choose/invent a job you would like to do!

That way, you’ll both be free while earning money and have money to be even freer afterward! Was it Confucius the one who said: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”?

Altucher endorses this.

Next step of reinventing yourself: acquiring the right habits.

According to Altucher,

You are not just the average of the five people around you. You’re the average of the five habits you do, the things you eat, the ideas you have, the content you consume, etc.

The third step on the ladder to a total makeover: improving your relationships.

You are a part of much more than your own life, and this is true for everybody. Meaning: a large part of your happiness and success depends on other people.

In terms of your reinvention, it seems that three are the most important ones: your plus (someone who knows more than you), your equal (your peer), and your minus (someone who knows less).

Which brings us to the fourth, and final, step: your plus should, in fact, be your mentor and finding the right mentors to teach you how to become the person you want to be should become your top priority on your road to reinvention.

In fact, “Reinvent Yourself” doesn’t only include “the ultimate guide to finding a mentor,” but also an explanation of “how to have 1,000 mentors in your life.”

And, of course, numerous pieces of advice from many of them in the following chapters.

For example, Altucher learned from Louis C. K. the Tao of not spending any energy on things you can’t change and the uselessness of saying that you’re bored.

From Picasso and Isaac Asimov he learned that “action is the foundational key to all success” (aka the reason why Picasso produced 50,000 works of art and Asimov wrote 467 books!) and that you should “learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”

From Elon Musk he learned that it’s not a bad thing to have all the eggs in one basket – if you can control that basket.

From Malala and Louis Armstrong that suffering can be transcended and turned into something bigger, whether art or cause to fight for

From Albert Einstein – the beauty of what comes after the “I don’t know.”

From Mick Jagger Altucher learned that, in the beginning, you should take every gig and that it takes about 15 years to master something: 3 to study, 2 to start making money, 4 to make a comfortable living and 6 to become a rock star!

And we’ll stop here.

Though there are many more lessons Altucher shares with his readers, whether coming from rappers such as Eminem and Ice Cube, from regular people such as his daughter or a friend’s grandma, or even some acquired through playing poker and chess or watching “Star Wars.”

Needless to say – they are all interesting and useful!

Mentoring at its most entertaining best.

Key Lessons from “Reinvent Yourself”

1.      Reinventing Is All About Four Things
2.      Find Yourself a Plus, a Minus, and an Equal
3.      Reinvent Yourself in Five Years

Reinventing Is All About Four Things

Reinvention is not something you should fear, nor something you should think of in terms of a painfully long and excruciatingly tiring process.

On the contrary, you should try to reinvent yourself constantly.

First, by redefining what the word “freedom” means to you at that specific moment. Then, by acquiring to right habits which should guide you to your imagined end. Thirdly, by improving your relationships. And finally, by finding yourself some great mentors.

Find Yourself a Plus, a Minus, and an Equal

Speaking of finding –

This is a strategy James Altucher borrows from Ryan Holiday’s “Ego Is the Enemy,” where the approach is presented as Frank Shamrock’s system for self-improvement.

It consists of choosing a plus, an equal, and a minus.

The plus is someone who knows more than you – i.e., your mentor; the equal is a peer to constantly challenge yourself against; finally, the minus is a student you can impart your knowledge on.

The goal?

Getting real and continuous feedback.

Reinvent Yourself in Five Years

If you want to reinvent yourself completely, you’ll probably need half a decade.

Use the first year to learn, experiment, and start doing some things. Then, the second year, start doing them on a more regular basis, i.e., each day – while finding some time to network with the right people. The third year you should start making some money.

But only the next – the fourth year – you’ll earn enough to make a good living. If things go well, by the fifth year, you should become a wealthy person by doing the things that you love!

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“Reinvent Yourself Quotes”

Despair = Suffering – Meaning. Click To Tweet Talent is the tiniest of sparks. A spark lights the fire. But you have to feed the fire more fuel to keep it going. Else it dies out. Click To Tweet Don’t be afraid to go silent. Mirror and then have the confidence to go silent. Click To Tweet It’s never too late to do what you love. What you love is always on the shore, waiting for you to arrive, waiting with open arms. Click To Tweet We were put here to try. Nobody will grade us. Click To Tweet

Our Critical Review

James Altucher is undoubtedly an idea machine, but, truthfully “Reinvent Yourself” isn’t that original – not if you have followed him well enough during the past decade or so.

Even so, it’s still Altucher – “the Oprah of the Internet” – and, moreover, it’s Altucher and his 1,000 mentors.

So, plenty of great minds.

Multiple that by five for the good advice count.

The Daily Stoic PDF Summary

366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living

You want to live a happier and more fulfilled life?

Then, please do – with Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman’s “The Daily Stoic.”

There’s a lesson here for every day in the year.

And each of them is timeless.

Who Should Read “The Daily Stoic”? And Why?

You don’t have to be interested in philosophy to read “The Daily Stoic.”

In fact, the goal of the book is to show that the Stoics were the original self-helpers and motivational coaches, and that, moreover, they were far better (because smarter) than their contemporary colleagues.

So, think of this book both as an introduction to Stoicism – if you need one – and as a guide through life – because, let’s face it, we all need one.

About Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman

The Daily Stoic PDF Summary Ryan Holiday is an American author, media strategist, and marketer.

After dropping out of college at the age of 19, Holiday went on a successful professional writing career, during which he has so far authored seven bestselling books.

This is the fifth one we have summarized. Check out our other four summaries: “Trust Me, I’m Lying,” “Growth Hacker Marketing,” “The Obstacle Is the Way” and “Ego Is the Enemy.”

Stephen Hanselman is a literary agent, bookseller, and publisher.

“The Daily Stoic” is his first book.

“The Daily Stoic PDF Summary”

“Of all people only those are at leisure who make time for philosophy, only they truly live,” wrote Seneca once. “Only an ingrate would fail to see that these great architects of venerable thoughts were born for us and have designed a way of life for us.”

In an age when life is understood to be an adventure and when basically every social media site abounds with testimonies that living your life to the fullest means drinking huge amounts of alcohol and taking selfies – it sure seems strange to see this passage quoted as an epigraph to any non-academic book, let alone one which aims to teach you the art of living.

But that’s how “The Daily Stoic,” “a beautiful daily devotional of Stoic meditation,” begins: with a sincere belief that living will always be the end result of thinking about life, and not what happens after you press the pause button of your brain.

But, wait a second!

You want us to believe that only philosophers – aka “no-thank-you-I’d-rather-spend-my-night-reading” nerds – truly live?

I won’t buy that!

Well, you should – because if you stretch that definition a bit, the answer to your question is “yes.”

Just a quick comparison:

Remember that time when you broke the screen on your iPod, and you couldn’t get your act together for the next month or so?

Well, Epictetus – one of the stars of this book – was a slave with a disabled leg and he was supposedly capable of accepting both things, spending most of his life without ever feeling angry or sad.

Fast forward two millennia, and you have William Ernest Henley, a poet with an amputated leg, Nelson Mandela, a prisoner for 27 years, and James Stockdale, a Vietnamese prisoner of war – all surviving through some of the worst things that can happen to anyone in life, by reading Epictetus and the other great Stoic philosophers.

If you want to join their company, then “The Daily Stoic” may be the best book you can find on the market.

No summary will do the book enough justice, since, as we said above, it’s structured as a daily devotional, meaning you should read one page of it per day.

Every single page contains a newly translated quote from some of the most important Stoic philosophers – mainly, the holy triumvirate of Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca, but also some lesser-known Stoics such as Zeno, Cleanthes, and Musonius Rufus – along with a commentary provided by the authors.

These are in turn divided into three parts (coinciding with Stoicism’s three critical disciplines):

#1. THE DISCIPLINE OF PERCEPTION

This part refers to how we perceive (and how we should perceive) the world around us.

It contains the first four months of the year, during which you’ll learn how to achieve clarity in your vision (January), how to restrain your passions and emotions (February), and how to be aware (March) and unbiased (April).

Needless to say, the book starts (January 1^st) with Stoicism 101, i.e., Epictetus’ dichotomy of control:

The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own…

#2. THE DISCIPLINE OF ACTION

This part is all about how actions should always be taken with the end in sight, as the product of clear and unbiased perception.

In May you’ll learn about right actions, in June about problem-solving, in July about duty and in August everything you need to know about pragmatism.

Here (June 7^th) you’ll happen upon Seneca’s brilliant advice from “On the Shortness of Life” concerning role models (aka, why people write and you should read this kind of books):

We like to say that we don’t get to choose our parents, that they were given by chance – yet we can truly choose whose children we’d like to be.

#3. THE DISCIPLINE OF WILL

The Discipline of Will part is dedicated to the problem of “how we deal with the things we cannot change, attain clear and convincing judgment, and come to a true understanding of our place in the world.”

Or, more precisely, to fortitude and resilience (September), virtue and kindness (October), acceptance/amor fati (November) and meditation on mortality (December).

It is in this part that, on October the 3^rd, you’ll come across Marcus Aurelius channeling his inner… Martin Luther King Jr.:

Meditate often on the interconnectedness and mutual interdependence of all things in the universe. For in a sense, all things are mutually woven together and therefore have an affinity for each other — for one thing follows after another according to their tension of movement, their sympathetic stirrings, and the unity of all substance.

All in all, a book you should own.

Because, as Kipling implicitly put it in “If–,“ becoming a Stoic is not that much different from becoming a man.

Over to you!

Key Lessons from “The Daily Stoic”

1.      The Three Stoic Interests
2.      The Three Stoic Disciplines
3.      The Easiest Way to be a Stoic: The Four Fundamental Habits

The Three Stoic Interests

Stoics were interested in only three aspects of philosophy: logic, physics, and ethics.

In fact, they often used the analogy of the fertile field to describe their endeavors.

In the analogy, physics (or Nature) was the field itself with all of the laws governing its existence; logic was the fence protecting the field from outsiders (think: superstitions, false beliefs… khm… alternative facts); finally, ethics was the crop you produce, that is the life you manage to extract out of what you are naturally endowed with.

The Three Stoic Disciplines

Now, in order to extract as much as possible out of life, the Stoics were profoundly interested in mastering three disciplines: the discipline of perception, the discipline of action, and the discipline of will.

The discipline of perception was all about learning to see the world clearly; the discipline of action dealt with the decisions and actions we take – and to what end we take them; finally, attaining a discipline of will meant conquering your fears and doubts by accepting what you can’t change.

The Easiest Way to be a Stoic: The Four Fundamental Habits

These are the four steps to becoming a Stoic:

#1. Learn how to differentiate between what is true and what is not and accept only the former;
#2. Try to harmonize your needs and desires with what you can control;
#3. Embrace that which you can’t;
#4. You are part of humanity: work toward the common good.

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“The Daily Stoic Quotes”

Knowledge—self-knowledge in particular—is freedom. Click To Tweet The more you say no to the things that don’t matter, the more you can say yes to the things that do. Click To Tweet Pretend that each event—whether desired or unexpected—was willed to happen, willed specifically for you. Click To Tweet Having an end in mind is no guarantee that you’ll reach it—no Stoic would tolerate that assumption—but not having an end in mind is a guarantee you won’t. Click To Tweet Serenity and stability are results of your choices and judgment, not your environment. Click To Tweet

Our Critical Review

“The Daily Stoic” is “The Upper Room” for secularists. So, no reason why – to quote Jack Canfield – you shouldn’t make it “your guide and [start growing] in clarity, effectiveness, and serenity each day!”

In the meantime, check out The Daily Stoic’s website and browse through it for free.

If you find it appealing, then do buy this book.

And grow into a Stoic – day by day.

Make Your Bed PDF Summary

Little Things That Can Change Your Life… And Maybe the World

You want to change the world.

Start off by making your bed.

Don’t believe us?

Then, let us rephrase that in the words of a decorated United States Navy admiral:

“Make Your Bed!”

Who Should Read “Make Your Bed”? And Why?

In “Make Your Bed” Admiral William H. McRaven shares the 10 most valuable life lessons he learned by being a part of the US military.

As he says himself, they are universally comprehensible and applicable, so it doesn’t matter who you are or whether you like the military or not.

“Change in the world can happen anywhere,” emphasizes McRaven, “and anyone can do it.”

About William H. McRaven

William H. McRaven is a retired US Navy admiral.

He last served as the commander of the United States Special Operations Command (2011 – 2014), a position he got after serving for three years as the Commander of Joint Special Operations Command (2008 – 2011).

Back in 1995, “Spec Ops,” the first of the two books he has so far authored was published.

In 2012, he was played by Christopher Stanley in the Academy Award-winning movie chronicling the manhunt for Osama bin Laden, “Zero Dark Thirty,” and a year later he appeared as himself in the documentary “Dirty Wars.”

“Make Your Bed PDF Summary”

William H. McRaven is 1977 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and a decorated United States Navy admiral.

How are these things related between themselves, or, for that matter, to this book?

Well, McRaven retired from the Navy – after more than 37 years of service – on August 28, 2014.

About three months before that, as still the Commander of United States Special Operations Command, he addressed the Class of 2014 at the University of Texas at Austin.

The commencement speech went viral and has been viewed, in different versions, more than 10 million times.

We link it below.

But, before you watch it, we feel obliged to add a “spoiler alert” tag: it’s basically this book in 20 minutes minus some of the anecdotes and stories:

As you might have already heard (in case you decided to watch McRaven’s speech before going on to read this summary), Admiral McRaven was inspired to share the 10 most valuable lessons he learned as part of the US military by the slogan of his alma mater: “what starts here changes the world.”

The question is – he adds after pointing this out – what the world will look like after it is changed.

So as to make sure that it looks better (of which he has no doubt to start with), he makes ten (once again: universally applicable) suggestions, which, chiseled and polished up a bit, make up the titles of the ten chapters of his book.

So here they are, “the 10 lessons [McRaven] learned from basic SEAL training that hopefully will be of value to you as you move forward in life.”

Key Lessons from “Make Your Bed”

1.      Start Your Day with a Task Completed
2.      You Can’t Go It Alone
3.      Only the Size of Your Heart Matters
4.      Life’s Not Fair – Drive On!
5.      Failure Can Make You Stronger
6.      You Must Dare Greatly
7.      Stand Up to the Bullies
8.      Rise to the Occasion
9.      Give People Hope
10.      Never, Ever Quit

#1. Start Your Day with a Task Completed

One of the first things you’ll learn if you want to take part of the basic training for being a member of the US Seal team is – the proper way to make your bed.

And that is lesson #1: always start your day by making your bed.

How will that change the world, you ask?

Well, it’s actually not the making of the bed that matters; it’s the discipline you put into it and, more importantly, the fact that, by making your bed, you are starting your day on a high note: already with a task completed.

The bonus: no matter how bad the rest of the day is, you’ll always come home to a made bed.

#2. You Can’t Go It Alone

Even a superhero has a sidekick – and you need plenty of them. To use McRaven’s example: if you want to steer a boat faster, you’ll need to find people to paddle with you.

And if you suffer a near-fatal parachute incident, you’ll need a partner to carry you through the pain and the depression (yes, that actually happened to McRaven):

None of us are immune from life’s tragic moments… It takes a good team of people to get you to your destination in life. You cannot paddle the boat alone. Find someone to share your life with. Make as many friends as possible, and never forget that your success depends on others.

#3. Only the Size of Your Heart Matters

“Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man,” wrote a fairly obscure poet sometime in the early 20^th century; “but sooner or later the man who wins/ is the one who thinks he can!”

McRaven has, basically, the same advice: the best team during his Navy training was actually the one who was most often the butt of the jokes on account of the size of its members’ flippers.

But, it’s not the size of the paddles that counts; it’s the size of the heart. The passion and the perseverance.

So, please, don’t judge a book by its cover. Judge it by its content.

#4. Life’s Not Fair – Drive On!

“The universe,” writes Neil deGrasse Tyson, “is under no obligation to make sense to you.”

In other words, there’s a big chance that life is not going to treat you fair.

But blaming your lot on some outside force is both easy and wrong. What’s right is learning how to accept and rise above the unfairness.

“The common people and the great men and women,” concludes McRaven, “are all defined by how they deal with life’s unfairness.”

#5. Failure Can Make You Stronger

During his SEAL Navy training, McRaven was part of a swimming team which always finished last.

Their punishment?

The Circus, i.e., an endurance test which has made many cadets give up.

However, in the case of McRaven, the failure to win the swimming races only made him stronger: for the graduation test, he was part of the winning team.

So, keep calm – and fail forward.

#6. You Must Dare Greatly

Don’t be afraid to take risks:

Life is a struggle and the potential for failure is ever present, but those who live in fear of failure, or hardship, or embarrassment, will never achieve their potential. Without pushing your limits, without occasionally sliding down the rope headfirst, without daring greatly, you will never know what is truly possible in your life.

#7. Stand Up to the Bullies

As part of their training, McRaven and his teammate were once commanded to swim four miles through potentially shark-infested waters. Refusing the task meant not completing the SEAL training.

So, as afraid as they were, they didn’t.

The lesson?

You’ll encounter many sharks – whether bullies or personal fears – on your path to greatness.

Stand up to them.

#8. Rise to the Occasion

Sometimes it’s inevitable that you’ll lose a loved one.

Unfortunately, no amount of shouting and screaming, no amount of sulking or depression, will ever change that.

Being a soldier, McRaven has learned this the hard way.

What you’re left with is to rise to the challenge and endure.

#9. Give People Hope

Sometimes, all it takes is just a little pat on the shoulder.

Or a song.

For example, during McRaven’s Hell Week (the dreaded seven-day endurance test which makes or breaks a SEAL), one of the guys was about to call it quits, when another started singing a song.

Soon, everybody joined in.

And even though it was past midnight and they were all covered in cold mud, somehow, they felt a bit more hopeful.

And they persevered!

#10. Never, Ever Quit

Don’t give up!

If a Navy SEAL who has lost both legs can find some meaning in life, certainly you can too, no matter how bad your day is.

No matter what happens, it’s your job to be unbroken.

Like this summary? We’d like to invite you to download our free 12 min app, for more amazing summaries and audiobooks.

“Make Your Bed Quotes”

Without daring greatly, you will never know what is truly possible in your life. Click To Tweet True leaders must learn from their failures, use the lessons to motivate themselves, and not be afraid to try again or make the next tough decision. Click To Tweet In life, you will face a lot of Circuses. You will pay for your failures. But, if you persevere, if you let those failures teach you and strengthen you, then you will be prepared to handle life’s toughest moments. Click To Tweet I realized that past failures had strengthened me, taught me that no one is immune from mistakes. Click To Tweet Hope is the most powerful force in the universe. Click To Tweet

Our Critical Review

Though certainly not groundbreaking (far from it), “Make Your Bed” is as inspirational as is William McRaven’s brilliant commencement speech.

Meaning: it’s one of those books you just can’t buy only one copy of.

Take our word for it: we’ve given at least six of them as gifts.

And had we known you personally, we probably would have gifted one to you as well.

The Science of Getting Rich PDF Summary

Your Master Key to Success

Are you a left-winger or a right-winger? Regardless of your social views, earning money as a result of a service rendered is the only way of making an honest living in the digital age.

In this book summary, we try to deliver one tiny portion of that magic presented by Wallace all those years ago.

Stick for a while to learn what stops you from making a fortune!

Who Should Read “The Science of Getting Rich”? And Why?

This book has 17 short chapters, and each one tackles a specific problem that troubles the wider audience. Thinking in a certain way it’s not an easy task, but it’s doable!

The Science of Getting Rich is written for the general audience, without specific categorization and separation. As a unique masterpiece, we highly recommend it to all individuals who want more from this life.

Get the idea? – Dive right into it!

About Wallace D. Wattles

Wallace D. Wattles was a notable character in the late 19th century and early 20th in America. His writing and quotes remain deeply embedded into the souls of millions, due to its ambiguous message and actionable pieces of advice.

He wrote several books out of which “The Science of Getting Rich” still holds the trophy – as his best work.

“The Science of Getting Rich PDF Summary”

People interpret richness in a billion ways; in most cases, this concept extends one degree beyond the material side of things. Indeed, whatever works for one person, must undoubtedly be applicable to the entire world!

What stops us from embracing success? If your strategy or plan hasn’t lived up to its expectations, you might want to question your attitude first, before you move on.

The societal hierarchy and processes instigate an every-man-for-himself kind of view, which places emphasis on getting rich quickly without necessarily create value for others.

It’s been proven, even if someone gives you a $1 million and you don’t how to manage your financial resources, sooner or later you’ll find yourself at the bottom. The art of getting rich involves a mix of facets that you must take into account.

According to the author, the very idea of becoming wealthy is something similar to a mathematical calculation. In other words, it tests your capabilities through a system of algorithms that gauge your chances of a possible grand slam home run.

There is no reason for worry about financial affairs. Every person who wills to do so may rise above his want, have all he needs, and become rich.

There are certain ground rules or laws, that can give you the upper hand in the battle against your mindset. So the question is – Can everyone get rich?

Yes! That’s the scary part because most people choose fear as a defense mechanism that distances them from their life-given opportunity. Your political, social or religious background don’t hinder the process of applying these laws on a regular basis, so stop making excuses.

What is the core and substance of this existence? – Is it the well-being of a person, or its belongings, or could it possibly be its innate sense of self? – What we are trying to say is that without knowing your originality you merely can’t instill a dose of freshness into someone’s life, including yours.

This central aura lays down the foundation of what can be known as successful or mediocre way of living. Wattles used this enigmatic approach to deliver a message, which can be misleading to more ignorant circles.

Do all the work you can do, every day, and do each piece of work in a perfectly successful manner; put the power of success, and the purpose to get rich, into everything that you do.

Wattles didn’t hesitate to put this approach on the map, and used it on numerous occasions, despite its tricky background. From a religious point of view, we call it God or the Universe, but you can give it thousands of names without ever absorbing at least one small element of its ever-lasting effects.

Finding this flow can represent a bridge between success and failure. It doesn’t require support from any other aspect, because it crashes the restrictions and imaginary boundaries we have in our heads. It pushes you to take gigantic strides towards unraveling this mystery!

What acts as the main trigger? – Thoughts and other sensations! This mental chatter leaves a mark on how we interpret this Source, and whether we genuinely acknowledge its power. Finding the light at the of the tunnel consists of endless striving which is heavily linked to the idea of having the adequate mindset.

There is no right or wrong, except in our heads. Humans or the whole humankind is subjected to constant changes and these “thinking centers” must adapt to the new reality as well.

Once we are exposed to some information, our minds create or form an opinion about the topic – sometimes even on unreliable sources.

Such outcome sets the process of creation in full motion – triggered by one concept known as “Thought.” In the same manner, you can get rich quickly, if you are aware of these tendencies. The invisible mind shapes your decision-making and allows/disallows you to take precautions.

Take action and gain high merit for your involvement in solving other people’s problems. As a result, you’ll crack the code and become rich.

Think about it!

Key Lessons from “The Science of Getting Rich”

1. Don’t be deceived and be wise
2. Don’t fight the life-current, just go with the flow
3. Execute all tasks and don’t deviate

Don’t be deceived and become wise

Fasten your seatbelts because soon you’ll get introduced to the biggest lie in the world! People see wealth as something controlled by others, something far from their reach.

So, instead of creating value, they compete with their own social category – an approach that leaves them trapped in mediocrity.

Don’t fight the life-current, just go with the flow

The highest form of acceptance derives soon after you’ve developed a sense of gratitude from within. Once you lean on a higher source of power, the fruits will begin to emerge.

So, having faith in attaining good outcome can signify a full-scale victory for your cause.

Execute all tasks and don’t deviate

Visualize and then materialize. Indeed, without a sharp mental picture of where you see yourself in the upcoming period, you can’t possibly arrive at the desired destination.

Success doesn’t just fall of the sky, and you need to do your part because not always logic prevails over emotion.

Like this summary? We’d Like to invite you to download our free 12 min app, for more amazing summaries and audiobooks.

“The Science of Getting Rich Quotes”

The very best thing you can do for the whole world is to make the most of yourself. Click To Tweet There are three motives for which we live; we live for the body, we live for the mind, we live for the soul. No one of these is better or holier than the other; all are alike desirable, and no one of the three—body, mind, or soul—can live… Click To Tweet By thought, the thing you want is brought to you; by action you receive it. Click To Tweet You can serve God and man in no more effective way than by getting rich; that is, if you get rich by the creative method and not by the competitive one. Click To Tweet The purpose of life for man is growth, just as the purpose of life for trees and plants is growth. Click To Tweet

Our Critical Review

For a book written more than a century ago, it sure does manifests the magnitude of the problems we are facing today.

Such evergreen content and ideas are always getting well-deserved praise throughout history.

We share the same notion and challenge you to analyze this masterpiece.

Developing Self-Knowledge with 27 Effective Exercises

Self-Knowledge Do you have bad habits? It doesn’t have to be a serious one, like smoking. A bad habit can be the nail-biting mania, especially when anxiety dominates.

The writer Niklas Goeke says he chewed his nails for over 10 years until he realized it was a problem.

When he began to study self knowledge, Goeke made it his mission to stop this habit. He then prepared a list of 27 exercises to develop the mind and decide what is interesting to eliminate from our lives.

Goeke’s list consists of three levels – designed to trigger a self-knowledgeable attitude:

Thought: activities you can do alone or just with your mind.
Expression: exercises to evaluate your attitudes and beliefs, which you can do alone or through writing.
Implementation: Strategies and activities that you need to apply in the real world to take effect.

What is self-knowledge

Before you get to know the exercises proposed by Goeke, you need to understand what self-knowledge is and why this process is so important.

Self-awareness means becoming aware of who we are and what we want for ourselves, taking into account our emotions, potentials, and limitations.

Self-knowledge allows us to have a clear sense of our desires and goals, doesn’t matter if they are personal or professional. It opens our minds to value our qualities and evaluate the points that need to be worked on and/or modified

Therefore, self-knowledge is a path to growth. When we know ourselves deeply, we take the reins of our lives and write our own history.

The philosopher and writer of Ancient China, Lao Tzu, said: “Those who know others are wise; he who knows himself is enlightened”.

The 3 levels of self-knowledge exercises

Exercises to develop the mind

Level 1: Thinking

Take a walk. No geographic destination, get lost in consciousness. Preferably, listening to music.
Take a walk with a friend. It’s easier to open up while you’re walking.
It’s like talking to someone. In this case, with the author.
Ask “why” three times. Reflect your life with these three questions. You will develop some insights.
Classify your thoughts and emotions. Putting a name on negative emotions reduces its impact.
Meditate. Sit, close your eyes and breathe.
Exercise and practice sports alone. It’s like a mantra.
Get out of the circuit of consciousness. During the day, we are led by a flood of thoughts. Step aside and get out of it.
Put a question mark at the end of your opinions. Remove the final and start asking yourself.
Breathe consciously. Stop feeding your body with a short breath.
Pay attention to your posture and body language. Doing this helps you better understand how to deal with stress.
Look into the eyes. Look straight into other people’s eyes.

Level 2: Expression

Create a personal manifesto. A document that captures your values, attitudes, and aspirations.
Keep a journal. A small habit that can be only one sentence per day, but that will certainly create insights.
Take personality tests. Something like the 16 personalities test can help you better understand who you are.
Record your ABCs. The technique created by Martin Seligman to reflect on adverse events:

A: Activating Event, which activates an internal dialog.

B: Belief, what forms within you after the event.

C: Consequences, about how you feel after the event.

Apply Drucker’s questions. Questions to improve your personal perception. Find out what they are here. In doing so, you’ll develop into self-knowledgable person.

Discover your “Eulerian Destiny”. Exercise for you to find skills and beliefs that are at the very core of your being. Understand it better in Niklas’s text.

Use the Liberty Diagram. Based on the Euler Diagram, you can also find it there.

Write a letter of regrets. Imagine that you are 90 years old and writing a letter to your 20-year-old self. What would you apologize for?

Write your own obituary. Based on the “funeral test” described in the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Level 3: Implementation

Get constant feedback and analysis. Whenever you make a decision, write whatever happens. One year later, review.
List your most important tasks every night. Describe the three most important tasks for the next day.
Practice “Honest Hour”. Sit down with three of the most important people in your life and ask honest feedback about what they think of you.
Say no (for now). Self-analysis helps you understand what your desires, wants and instincts are. Now follow them.
Practice the pause-and-planning reaction. Whenever something serious happens, instead of reacting immediately, freeze everything and take time to plan. Pretend dead and then decide what to do.
Ask for forgiveness. That simple.

You already know the 27 self-knowledge exercises. Now it’s up to you. It is in your hands to decide to take the first step.

Think of this phrase of the thinker Ramona L. Anderson: “People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace. They pursue vain dreams, vices, religions, and even other people, in the hope of filling the void that torments them. The irony is that the only place they needed to look was always within themselves.”

Deepen your knowledge

Strengthening self-awareness is an ongoing exercise that brings many benefits. One is to build good habits because you know yourself enough to choose the ones that have the best chance of “surviving.”

Habits shape your life and can transform it – for better or for worse. It will depend on how well you know yourself and what you plan for yourself.

How about investing in reading to help you implement healthy habits? We have 3 super tips for you:

Eat, Move, Sleep – Tom Rath

Tom Rath wrote the book for those who want a healthier, more peaceful life. For him, living a healthy life is a matter of implementing small changes.

The author himself struggled with a serious illness to keep himself healthy. On the long run, everyone can do the same. Before you start your next diet, take this reading.

Full attention (Mindfulness) – Mark Williams

The word mindfulness is a trend and won’t come out of blog posts and newspaper articles. You have probably heard of this technique, which teaches us to pay more attention to what is happening around us.

With this guide, you will learn how to apply the technique with simple practices. Perhaps isn’t it the habit that was lacking your life to be complete?

30 Ways to Reboot Your Body – Ben Greenfield

Some people need a little stronger push to put healthy habits in the routine.Ben explains in this book that with some changes in what you do daily, you can accomplish activities you never thought you would be able to do.

After all, you do not have to be a dedicated athlete to be healthy.

self knowledge definition

Enjoyed it? Now, what about learning a little more about how to do meditate?

The guide to how to read books online in a legal way

Free Online Books to Read Romance, action, suspense … Or do you like subjects related to motivation, business or meditation? No matter what your preferences are. The online book options are getting bigger and the virtual shelves offer only the best in the publishing market.

The truth is that reading books online is getting easier every day. In addition to the variety of titles available, you can rely not only on specific reading devices such as Kindle but also tablets, smartphones, and computers.

Reading books online can be a great choice

Online books offer several advantages. One of them is the ease of transportation. You can “load” multiple units at once, large or small, bulky or not. They don’t add extra weight in your purse or backpack.

Reading books online doesn’t weigh in your pocket too because they are cheaper than the printed ones. And there are lots of options, totally free.

Other Advantages of Digital Books:

You can read books online at night or in places with little or no lighting. It is only recommended to control the brightness of your device’s screen to protect the eyes from irritation.
You can also control the size and type of the letters of the books online. That is, customize your device in the way that best suits you, depending on the location and time that you’re reading.
You can put the reading device in the position you want and use your fingers just to turn the pages. Great for those who like to read when they are in bed or during meals, for example.
Online books are programmed to start over where you left off. Easy and practical.
Do you love reading books online and a new one was just released? The good news is you do not have to wait. It immediately enters the virtual shelf and, after the purchase (or “rent”), you can already delight in the novelty.
Books to read online do not take up space in your home. So you can keep a very rich and huge library, even if you live in a small apartment.
Do you know those highlights in yellow and the notes you usually make in printed books? This is also allowed in the digital versions.
Online books don’t spoil. Do not tear and do not get dirty after much use.

How to find Free Online Books to Read?

There are online book platforms with extensive library and books. In some of them, you must download the book, and in others, access is instantaneous.

In addition to the platform, you must have the device. Among online reading enthusiasts worldwide, the number of those using the smartphone grows. But you get a Kindle (the Amazon Digital Book Reader), a tablet or even a computer.

3 Online Book Platforms You Should Know to Find Books to Read Online

Kindle Cloud Reader

Kindle Cloud Reader is an online book platform compatible with Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer.

Kindle Cloud Reader lets you access the Kindle bookstore instantly, using only the web browser – online or offline – with no download or installation required.

There are over 950,000 book titles online to read right away. And you do not necessarily need a Kindle e-reader to access this library. Just use a computer, tablet or smartphone.

The Kindle Cloud Reader has several other features, including:

Ease searching for new publications and thus you can start reading as soon as you leave the publication.
Your current book is automatically available for offline use and you can read it anytime.
Software updates are also automatic.
You can customize the page layout, the desired font size, text color, background color etc.
Access to all notes and bookmarks you make in other Kindle applications.
You can search for words definitions and other information about the book and author, for example.

To use the Kindle Could Reader, you must go to read.amazon.com and log in to your Amazon account, or create one, if you don’t have already. You make a monthly subscription and have access to everything in the digital collection.

Scribd

Scribd is also a great choice for reading books online, although it is not an exclusive eBook platform.

The Scribd share documents in general, such as research, academic papers, Web pages, slides, photos etc. And books come into this list.

The Scrib platform supports several formats – Word, PDF, PPT, RTF, XLS, among others. It has a connection to Twitter, Facebook, WordPress etc, and this expands the visibility of the documents.

Scribd was nicknamed “Netflix of Books,” because it is a platform for rent, not for sale. The CEO of the company, the American Trip Adler, in an interview for Exame magazine, said: “the reader should worry about what to read and not what to buy”.

This means that you don’t get to keep the books that you read online in Scribd in your library because you pay for the reading, not for the book.

To access Scribd, you sign a monthly fee that frees the library with more than 100,000 titles. In this case, you can also read on your tablet, smartphone, or computer.

If compared to the library of the rival Amazon, for sale of books online, Scribd rent options are smaller. But it is still an attractive platform, especially in terms of price.

12Minutos

The platform 12Min targets people who seek knowledge, but do not have much free time. Offers well-crafted summaries – also called microbooks – about career, business, and personal development.

The 12 Minutos’ microbooks are a way to absorb tons of information at the speed that the world demands today. That is, quickly. And you can still choose audio or text.

12Min assumes that no one needs to read 30 pages to find out whether or not they liked the text. The platform extracts the key concepts from each book and creates a new, authentic content that takes the reader directly to what interests him.

Books to Read Online

It’s not just a summary. It is a conceptual piece that brings out the best of every great work you have not yet read. This is how we define the services offered.

“We want to change the world with each microbook and make accessible the complex concepts that before it was needed 200 pages to be explained”. Now, you only need 12 minutes to read a microbook.

Simple texts and easy assimilation. You can access your microbook on the bus or subway, in the interval of classes or work, in the queue of the bank, whenever and wherever you want, in a short time.

You may be wondering: is 12 Minutos competing with books? Of course not! The idea is to promote the understanding of the key concepts of the book so that the reader can arouse interest in the complete work.

It is worth checking the post where the founder Diego Gomes talks about how the 12′ can improve people’s lives.

3 strong reasons for you to access the 12Minutes:

You can access books online anywhere, even if your time is short. This can be through reading (microbooks) or audio (audio books);
Rapid reading allows you to “walk” through various authors in a short space of time, accelerating your learning, developing new skills and increasing your competitiveness;
Keeps you up to date on the job market, the ideas that stand out and the current trends.

The access to 12Min is by annual subscription. But the platform offers a free microbook per week and three days of unlimited, totally free, trial access.

Read free online books

You can read books online for free, in an ethical and legal way. This is because, as mentioned in the text above, the platforms offer, in its catalog, a series of totally free options.

Often the book is out for free. In other cases, access to the platform (and the entire catalog) is free and unlimited for a certain period.

When we talk about free online books, we are not referring to the poor quality thing. On the opposed! There are many excellent items. It pays to be aware of these opportunities.

Start now

So if you enjoy reading books and want to acquire new knowledge, try all the perks and benefits of the digital versions.

How about starting right now! We, from 12 Min, have 3 great book tips and they are among our microbooks. check out:

The Secrets of the Millionaire Mind – T. Harv Eker

Why do some people accumulate wealth easily and others live with the red flag on? The key is to understand our mental model, how it is shaped, what its limitations are and how to work to develop them.

How to make friends and influence people – Dale Carnegie

A spectacular and compelling work to develop relationship skills doesn’t matter if they are personal or professional. Dale Carnegie’s advice, methods, and ideas have already benefited millions of people and remain completely current. For many entrepreneurs, reading and understanding how to make friends and influence people is worth more than an MBA.

Mindset – Carol Dweck

Success does not come solely from our abilities or talents, but also from the way we face life. For the author, our success depends on two mental attitudes: fixed and progressive. Progressive attitude can make us happier people, able to control our own lives, achieving success.

Good reading!

Why Good People Turn Bad Online PDF Summary

Meet the scientists finding out how we can defeat our inner trolls and build more cooperative digital societies.

Sometimes, scientists are real heroes in disguise. We don’t pay too much attention to the progress these individuals have in store for us.

In a world where social justice is taking a massive blow, we need every bit of help to control these violent tendencies.

In this book summary, we try to outline the main revelations that compile this book.

Who Should Read “Why Good People Turn Bad Online”? And Why?

Let’s dive right into finding what prompts “The Average Joe” to become a “Mad Joe.” In other words, it’s vital to ascertain the causes that lead to violent tendencies and add to the overall online abuses.

“Why Good People Turn Bad Online” is an excellent addition for every person who participates in online forums, discussions, and chats.

Take notes!

About Gaia Vince

Gaia Vince is British freelance author, journalist, and broadcaster. As the author of Adventures in the Anthropocene – she was awarded the Royal Society Prize for Science Books.

“Why Good People Turn Bad Online PDF Summary”

For many years, researchers and analysts have conducted reality testing to observe how people tend to behave in a given situation. For the same purpose, they marked “public good games” as the primary tool for making that happen.

Testing people’s urge for cooperation led the researchers into believing that games should receive a higher role in the execution of this strategy. It’s true that people are social creatures who prefer to operate in groups for the sake of the community.

Nevertheless, certain surroundings have an inclination to obstruct the process by instigating a new “every person for himself/herself” kind of behavior.

One may assume that geographical boundaries in the only world serve as a guarantee that users won’t face any judgment based on their digital behavior.

In the meantime, Search Engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, accentuate content that leads to higher engagement, regardless of the channel through which such strategy is put in place.

We arrive at a conclusion, that emotional outbursts are well-received in the online era, especially when you have a group of spectators screaming from the side and shouting your name. In other words, it stimulates people to accuse others of their wrongdoings or promoting misleading information.

These studies further testify that the internet is slowly migrating towards a troll-full online.

Indeed, minority groups and women in general, need to go up against these groups of online bullies, who love to engage in discussions and humiliate others. For the same purpose, specific audiences prefer to stay by the side and eschew violence, including tense debates.

Experts agree that this contributes to lesser diversity and lowers the value of the disputation. Public goods games are critical for ascertaining these selfish tendencies and behavior that lean towards hatred.

For the argument’s sake – individuals who originate from places where the corrosive effects of corruption are omnipresent gravitate towards lesser moral decision-making.

These individuals rarely embrace integrity; a conclusion which reveals how people swing from one side to the other. Moreover, persons who experienced this selfishness first hand during the game, are inclined to behave in pretty much the same way in the following challenges.

From such standpoint, it’s merely logical to say that it boils down to how people behave during the game. Creating strong bonds with those who are pro-social and avoiding individuals who prefer ego-centric approach.

Game developers devised several plans to punish some players who step outside the lines of decent gaming behavior. Researchers endorse this strategy because it’s the only way of creating a better online community.

To reduce racist provocations and hate speech, a Twitter bot reminds those individuals who act in a certain way that violent behavior hurts people. In doing so, it reduces racial intolerance and promotes harmony.

The real question is – What do if someone is abusing others this very moment?

Take screenshots, report it to the local police and block that user from further engaging with that community. If the situation is spiraling out of control, inform your friends and family to give you support.

Key Lessons from “Why Good People Turn Bad Online”

1. Take actions and don’t hesitate
2. Don’t turn out bad
3. Join an abuse-free environment

Take actions and don’t hesitate

Researchers took this matter one step further by designing an algorithm that can gauge the level of harassment by a given user.

With such concrete actions, the magic of trolling is taking a decline in terms of intensity.

Don’t turn out bad

If you ever feel like some inner forces are pulling you over to the other side, just stop for a moment and take a breather.

Direct your efforts towards relieving the plight of those suffering from similar abuses. Don’t add fuel to the fire by being ignorant.

Join an abuse-free environment

You don’t have to become an activist to make a difference. Try to find common grounds with those who are drawn toward violence and hatred.

Don’t judge too quickly, try to help these people!

Like this summary? We’d Like to invite you to download our free 12 min app, for more amazing summaries and audiobooks.

“Why Good People Turn Bad Online Quotes”

And people believe that they are spreading good by expressing outrage – that it comes from a place of morality and righteousness. Click To Tweet What we’ve created online is an ecosystem that selects for the most outrageous content, paired with a platform where it’s easier than ever before to express outrage. Click To Tweet

Our Critical Review

Well, whether we hate to admit it or not, we all had our moments on the internet.

Such quarrels are frequent, and abuses happen on a global scale. Putting a strain on them can really help the world to become a better and more tolerant place.

Winning with People PDF Summary

Discover the People Principles That Work for You Every Time

Managing human resources as a process is in full-motion since the stone age.

People aligned in groups to improve their chances of survival.

These days, the cutting-edge technology grants us the opportunity to explore the magic in building strong and unbreakable bonds between people.

In this book summary, you’ll get a glimpse at these principles.

Who Should Read “Winning with People”? And Why?

Winning or influencing people has always been the topic of tense debates. Emperors, kings, managers, leaders, opportunists, and careerists, all strive to understand the psychology of influence.

“Winning with People” is best suited for managers and leaders, who wish to pull the strings and act upon the feedback they receive from others.

About John C. Maxwell

John C. Maxwell IS ONE OF AMERICA’S finest authors and experts on leadership and influencing.

He is the author of many bestsellers – 21 Laws of Irrefutable Leadership, Developing the Leader within You, 5 Levels of Leadership, etc.

“Winning with People PDF Summary”

So, Maxwell known for its transparent and genuine approach jumps right into the 25 Principles that can enhance your relationships:

1. The Lens Principle

Have you ever wondered – What may destroy or improve relationships? – According to the author, the way people engage themselves in a conversation is a factor number one. For instance, if you suspect other person’s intentions, that may indicate that you feel pretty much the same way about yourself.

2. The Mirror Principle

If there’s anything harder than not judging others, that’s being aware of these notions. Self-awareness is difficult because people are trapped in the endless circle of thoughts. Trying to solve these tendencies amidst all the confusion, creates the mirror effect.

3. The Pain Principle

Often referred to as the pain body – according to Eckhart Tolle; the pain principle illustrates the magnitude of psychological or mental struggle. A person who experiences these sensations is prone to hurting others and judge those who don’t abide by their norms.

4. The Hammer Principle

Being a drama-queen/king is one-ticket to damaging your relationships. Some people have a habit of pushing the panic button on a regular level. Overreacting creates a brick wall between themselves and the interlocutor, and thus obstructs the process of nurturing strong and effective relationships.

5. The Elevator Principle

Don’t be surprised to hear that you’ve got the power to change another person’s life. It sounds even shocking for most people because they would rather indulge in gossiping than assisting other to overcome their insecurity. Their destructive mindset brings about hatred and impatience.

6. The Big Picture Principle

Well, putting the benefits of others above yours is not a popular approach in the capitalist era, now is it? However, if you persist in making and building great bonds with others, they have to witness sacrifice on your part – not just words.

7. The Exchange Principle

Generally speaking, putting yourself in the shoes of others can drastically reduce the judging notion, and help you get the big picture. By doing so, you’ll become a better listener and a more trusted companion.

8. The Learning Principle

What are your thoughts on helping others craft their skills? Do you have a firm stand? – Make your presence count at any stage by being the “Example” in the room. A bad attitude renders such process impossible and forms invisible barriers.

9. The Charisma Principle

According to Dale Carnegie, a charismatic leader knows how to get the most out of its associates and employees. It’s proven that friendly body language gives positive vibes and incites people to return the favor in the same manner by being creative and productive.

10. People want their achievements recognized

If you constantly try to undermine the achievements of others, you’ll seriously damage the company/organizational performance. Think about your motives and question your ideas that make you undervalue great successes. Without trust and mutual respect – you can’t flourish.

11. The Confrontation Principle

If you and your team are propelled into a hostile situation, the only thing you can do is provide arguments. Conflicts are an integral part of life, and these events shape your decision-making abilities. Don’t fight the current, just act smart and call a meeting to solicit the views of everyone involved.

12.The Bedrock Principle

As we mentioned, the backbone or the cornerstone of every successful bond is trust. The pillars of building such relationship are formed in the fire of mutual understanding. Being a person with integrity or an individual whose words don’t differ from its actions, represents this principle.

13.The Situation Principle

Having the situation under control at all times seems like an impossible task. Temporary defeats can reduce the credence given to your plans, but that must not be an excuse. Even a top athlete can lose its concentration during the game, so don’t judge yourself, and understand that momentary setback is neither the judge nor the jury of your efforts.

14. The Bob Principle

Have you noticed that every group has a black sheep in their ranks? Leaders need to make sure that everyone’s agendas align with the organization/team/company/ plans. Don’t be that problem-maker and provide support to the management.

15. The Approachability Principle

It’s clear as day that people have no inclination talking to people they dislike. Being available to listen to their complaints can really prove to be a win-win situation. Respect their individuality, because in the 21st century, organizations are customer-centric and every single internal/external preference must be met.

16. The Foxhole Principle

They say – Any friend shows its true face when you are in trouble. So, find the ones that don’t back down when things get messy. Find those who can withstand pressure, and don’t succumb to the strain.

17. The Gardening Principle

Think of relationships as flowers; if you don’t put water, they will dry out. So, renewing and watching after these connections is the only path you should take. Otherwise, you won’t be able to cultivate the bonds you create with people.

18. The 101 Percent Principle

Not many individuals take into account each other’s interests. They just want the other party to honor their side of the agreement, and that’s it. Embrace differences and don’t be pulled by greed because that way you’ll damage your reputation.

19. The Patience Principle

In general, groups tend to be a bit slower than individuals. As such, they require more time in preparations, management, delegation, and execution of tasks. So, if you find yourself in a complex environment, be patient, and remain with both feet on the ground.

20. The Celebration Principle

Everyone is dependent on encouragement, especially after a setback. You need to provide cover and support for the actions of your employees. When joint efforts generate great results, make sure to sing the praises of every individual who contributed to the outcome.

21. The High-Road Principle

This principle emphasizes three rather practical approaches to handle different personalities:

Middle road – how you would like to be treated.
The lower road – a bit worse than your initial demands.
The high road – to be treated better than your demands.

22.The Boomerang Principle

The 22nd principle gives some honest explanation on the give-and-receive attitude. When you lay eyes on a relationship worth investing; you need to do everything in your power to establish a healthy communication between you and the other party. Help others = help yourself.

23.The Friendship Principle

Friendship is essential for good business. It’s proven through case studies that the art of making a deal heavily depends on harmony and affinity between the parties. If you possess social skills, you are surely aware of this revelation!

24. The Partnership Principle

Two heads think better than one; two leaders can easily outperform a single decision-maker. Partnerships are vital for keeping the ideas flowing in and out. Benjamin Franklin endorses the same assertion by indicating that self-improvement often works better in a union.

25.The Satisfaction Principle

Sharing similar experiences and encounters can often straighten any problems out among members of the same organization. That’s precisely why people indulge in staying together and have this excitement at the beginning of every relationship.

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“Winning with People Quotes”

Any married man should forget his mistakes—there’s no use in two people remembering the same thing. Click To Tweet A person with a negative self-image will expect the worst, damage relationships, and find others who are similarly negative. Click To Tweet People knowledge is much more important than mere product knowledge. Click To Tweet The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing in the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. Click To Tweet I may not be able to change the world I see around me, but I can change what I see within me. Click To Tweet

Our Critical Review

John Maxwell never disappoints. His actionable tips and effective strategies regarding leadership made him the person he is today.

We cannot think of any misleading info that we encountered while reading this book.

We give our thumbs up!!!

The Champion’s Mind PDF Summary

How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive

Do you consider yourself to be a prominent athlete? Don’t judge too quickly, because this book is not suitable only for athletes in the making.

We encapsulate the essence of this actionable book and provide a detailed explanation of what needs to be done.

Who Should Read “The Champion’s Mind”? And Why?

If you plan on remaining mediocre, or if you desire to stay ignorant about your potential, we strongly advise that you should skip this book.

“The Champion’s Mind” is for those who are tired of being underdogs. It’s suitable for everyone who intends to take his personal and professional life on another level.

About Jim Afremow

Jim Afremow can be regarded as one of the finest mental-game coaches, and sports counselors – he is also an author.

So far, Jim wrote three books.

“The Champion’s Mind PDF Summary”

Almost every kid dream of becoming an athlete; a person who can take that three-pointer in the decisive moments of the game or run towards the goal. Anyway, being an elite performer who catches the eye of everyone present, takes more than just a wish.

According to Michael Jordan, and the other celebrated athletes, the mental prowess is the most vital asset in making that dream come true. Most people cannot develop into clutch-performers, they can’t program their mind to think outside of the box in the critical moments.

Even coaches indicate that the greatest battle unfolds in a person’s head, and that’s where the game is either won or lost.

Excellence can be achieved only today—not yesterday or tomorrow, because they do not exist in the present moment. Today is the only day you have to flex your talents and maximize your enjoyment. Your challenge is to win in all aspects of life. To reach that goal, you need to set yourself up for success by winning one day at a time. Procrastination is no match for a champion.

You don’t know what to expect when you join up a local sports team, and whether this would be a start of a lucrative journey or not. Nonetheless, thinking about your goals and focusing your energy on the real things, can encourage you to stay on track.

The level of intensity during the game varies on the type of competition that you embroiled in.

However, having one thing in mind can help you soar in a sports manner – Everybody tries to improve and enhance its skillset. In The Champion’s Mind, Jim Afremow a sports psychologist by profession uses its finding and expertise to teach athletes how to maximize their display on the field:

First and foremost, you have to learn three key elements:

• What it takes for an athlete to get into “never give up” zone, and thrive on new challenges.
• How to make sure that you don’t lean on the wrong side and ensure a long-term win-win solution.
• Abide by certain principles and routines before games, to ensure excellent performance.

This book revolves around psychological tips and tricks that can give you the edge to outperform your opponents. In the meantime, you’ll be to cast doubt upon your limitations and make scientific breakthroughs work to your advantage.

Keeping your both feet on the ground is essential, so you don’t need to rely on dreams exquisitely, but on preparations and planning. Every person understands that having the Champion’s Mind means that no matter what – your goal is to compete against yourself not others.

Every day you must wake up with the same smile and enthusiasm to get at least 10 inches closer to your end-goal. What this does is giving you the cutting-edge you need to endure any hardship along the path, that may hinder your progress.

Then again, if you are not an athlete that’s fine also, because this book doesn’t depend on classification and categorization. All professions face the same obstacle – a negative, self-criticize, and inefficient mindset.

Elevating your status signifies a battle to be won inside your head. Achieving sports-greatness as a plan must be put into action by a person who possesses certain traits, that makes great athletes look like lethargic individuals.

Let’s outline the three main mental tools:

Concentration
Composure
Self-esteem

Let’s summarize what we’ve learned so far – Imagine you want to become a Chef in a great restaurant, but you don’t even know how to make a toast. Where do you start? – There’s only one place for such endeavors, and that’s your mind.

If you sit around all day, doing nothing, and waiting to get a job interview from the most expensive restaurant in San Francisco, you’ll hardly ever make any progress. Well-trained and disciplined persons understand that being realistic is far more critical than being persistent.

To break the ice, you need plans that contain everything that you must acquire to qualify for working in such elite restaurant. Attitude is everything, and often it represents the bridge between success and failure.

Champions have one thing in common – Their attitude is fueled by hard work mentality that promotes a single focus! Keeping that fire burning inside is all it takes.

When deciding to take drastic measures, it’s vital to keep track of what obstructs the growth. Being aware of your flaws and external factors can potentially boost your competence, and eliminate all the wrong concepts that linger for more than you can handle.

There is one unpleasant truth – THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS STAGNATION!

In other words, if you are not getting any better, you are getting worse, and that cycle works for all professions, not just athletes. Psyching yourself up for what is to come, includes embracing flexibility and feed your performance with positive vibes.

Define your role model, and start following in its footsteps. Never train as if you are the best out there, trains as if you are miles behind.

To put it differently, you should have a winner’s attitude but prepare as if you are second and you always will be. Be a contender in a boxing match, be as hungry as Mike Tyson in his first fight.

Key Lessons from “The Champion’s Mind”

1. Look in the mirror every day
2. Use the power of visualization
3. Don’t be a cry-baby

Look in the mirror every day

This is a long-term prescription that will remind you whether you’re making progress or not. It will keep you eager and determined to take right actions.

It’s needless to say that your mind is your best friend and your worst enemy.

Use the power of visualization

You need all the help you can get, right? – One way to do it is to rely on your instinct and burning desire to achieve something.

Such power and motivation will lift your spirits up even in catastrophic moments. So keep your chin up.

Don’t be a cry-baby

Let’ put it straight – there’s a difference between people who hate to lose, and those who are afraid of defeat.

Building up that self-esteem is vital for overcoming the tension of any game or contest. The way you put your mind and soul into the game, speaks about your attitude outside of the arena.

Like this summary? We’d Like to invite you to download our free 12 min app, for more amazing summaries and audiobooks.

“The Champion’s Mind Quotes”

The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion when no one else is watching. Click To Tweet Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are. Click To Tweet Think gold and never settle for silver. Click To Tweet Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher. Click To Tweet

Our Critical Review

Every great book focuses on a topic that can actually provoke or incite people to make a few changes. Developing the champion’s mind requires overcoming the restrictions you have in your head.

Take notes, and start growing!