Matter of Movement

Epistemophilia. An excessive love of, or striving for, knowledge. The acquisition of knowledge is an addictive preoccupation, but the benefits seem to be exponential over time. "Give someone an idea and you enrich their day. Teach them how to learn and they can enrich their life" - Jim Kwik

You can learn something from anyone. Don’t assume you know more than someone else. It doesn't matter who the person is, they will know something you don't. Respect them and pay attention - you never know what you might learn.

A brief review of each of the books I read in the last month. An Appetite for Wonder - Richard Dawkins 3.5/5 The autobiography of Richard Dawkins. Dawkins speaks of his life and how he fell onto the paths of biology and atheism. I now intend to read The Selfish Gene. Robin: the definitive biography of Robin Williams - Dave Itzkoff 3/5 The honest and raw story of the life of Robin Williams. We all know how this ends, but it was fascinating to hear the journey up to the Parkinson's diagnosis and eventual suicide.

It is so easy to get caught up and live your life going through the motions without stopping to reflect and ask yourself why. What do you want to get out of your life? Remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing. Ensure your life is on the right trajectory. Start with why.

What would you do if you knew you would not fail? This is a great question to ask to assess where fear may be holding you back. Is this fear logical? " You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realised how seldom they do " - Eleanor Roosevelt

Practice does not make perfect, you should not aim to be perfect because perfection is unattainable. Practice makes progress - you should never stop learning. "You don’t have to know everything. You just have to know where to find it" – Einstein. 

A brief review of each of the books I read in the last month. Ultramarathon Man: confessions of an all-night runner - Dean Karnazes 4.5/5 Another fascinating and motivating read by Karnazes. The author tells anecdotes of some of his most harrowing ultra endurance events and illustrates his ability to continue putting one foot in front of the other. I would recommend this read if you are at all interested in endurance, resilience, or the limits of the human body. Blueprint: build a bulletproof body for extreme adventure in 365 days - Ross Edgley 4/5 This book is based predominantly around periodasation, a concept from exercise science which utilised load management to optimise different training cycles. Some other important exercise concepts are weaved in with fascinating anecdotes. If you have an interest in enhancing your training, have a read.

When it comes to exercise, consistency trumps intensity. You would be better served completing 12 moderate intensity exercise bouts in a month than doing 6 very high intensity bouts in a month.  The best way to create positive adaptations is to continue to turn up.  Just get your runners on, get to the gym, and the hard part is already over.  Consistency is key.

Two minutes of discomfort can lead to many hours of improved wellbeing. Sometimes you need to endure the tough conversation.

Kaizen: taking small steps to create large change.  Take a small step toward being the person you want to be, today.  Small, daily steps compound to big results.  Motivation is fleeting, habits persist. They are the compound interest of self improvement.  Small steps appear to make little difference until you cross a critical threshold.  Rather than focusing on goals, focus on systems.  Law of least effort (conservation of energy) – people tend to instinctively choose the path of least resistance, therefore using small, simple steps to achieve your goals is a way of hacking the brain. Such is the art of Kaizen.

A brief review of each of the books I read in the last month. Chatter: the voice in our head (and how to harness it - Ethan Kross 5/5 This book is a must read for anyone with a functioning brain. Kross discusses techniques for addressing the spiral of negative thoughts which inevitably flow through our heads in certain situations. This can be done by, among other things, gaining a different perspective and distancing yourself. Read it.  A Runner's High: my life in motion - Dean Karnazes 4.5/5 Karnazes recounts anecdotes of ultra marathons he has run in the past with culmination of his 100 mile Western States run. If you are interested in running or human endurance, have a read. Make Your Bed: little things that can change your life... and maybe the world - William H. McRaven 4.5/5 A short, yet thoroughly enjoyable read. McRaven tells thrilling anecdotes of his time as a Navy SEAL to illustrate the following messages: 1. Start your day with a task complete (make your bed) 2. You can...

A challenge can be interpreted as an opportunity to better yourself.  If you face a challenge, recognise it as a chance to improve and sub-vocalise "good". Ask how can I learn from this? From struggle, comes strength - It doesn’t get easier, you get stronger!

Some have a tendency to speak a lot without saying anything. "We have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak" - attributed to Epictetus 

It is true that honesty leads to trust, however honesty without compassion becomes cruelty.

Have the insight to recognise when you are in the wrong, then apologise quickly. A swift apology is able to defuse situations where tensions are rising. Do not be too stubborn to admit when you are wrong - apologise quickly.

A brief review of each of the books I read in the last month. Why Buddhism is True - Robert Wright 4/5 This book discussed Buddhism from a Western perspective and was a solid read. Some of the ideas discussed included: Detachment from emotion through mindfulness  The self as an illusion - I subscribe to the belief that the conscious mind is the self, but this was refuted  Modular model of the mind  The steps of the Noble Eightfold Path being: Right Understanding Right Thought Right Speech Right Action Right Livelihood Right Effort Right Mindfulness  Right Concentration. The five aggregates or heaps to which we cling: Form (or material image, impression) (rupa) Sensations (or feelings, received from form) (vedana) Perceptions (samjna) Mental activity or formations (sankhara) Consciousness (vijnana). To perceive emptiness is to perceive raw data. Key takeaways of the book: Human beings can often fail to see the world clearly - this can lead them to suffer and make othe...

Do something nice for another person every day – one random act of kindness could change the trajectory of someone’s life.  Pay the compliment – if you think a positive thought about someone, share it with them.

In the immortalised words of  Frozen 2, "d o the next right thing". When in doubt, trust your moral compass, and focus on your next action being the right one. If you make a mistake, own it. Even if it was only partly your fault – take ownership. Sometimes you cannot predict what the road ahead will bring, but you will be moving in the right direction if you just "do the next right thing".

Be open-minded to new ideas and beliefs – overcome the reflex of being defensive of your pre-conceived ideas and biases I believe you can learn something from anyone, and you can learn anything you truly desire. Your intelligence and skills are not fixed – through neuroplasticity the brain is always changing, updating – it is important to subscribe to a growth mindset. You must also be aware of confirmation bias – the tendency to interpret information in a way that confirms or supports one’s prior beliefs or values.

A brief review of each of the books I read in the last month. The Creative Destruction of Medicine: how the digital revolution will create better health care - Eric Topol 5/5 The earliest book I have come across on digital health, Topol, in 2012 discusses the digital health revolution which was then on the horizon and is now in full swing. This book goes on to describe how medicine is becoming more patient-centred and more efficient with the assistance of the current digital revolution. If you are at all interested in digital health, this is a great place to start. Losing my Virginity - Richard Branson 4.5/5 Branson's story up until around 1993 - this was a thumping good read. He writes of the many risks he took and continues to take while outlining his philosophy on always reinvesting in his company. When in financial hardship, Branson would refinance and expand. His secret to success in business - "have fun". Sprint: how to solve big problems and test new ideas in just ...