5 big ideas | Bolder | Carl Honore | Review | Entrepreneur SA
After reading the amazing book, in Praise of Slow by Carl Honore, I could not wait when he mentioned his new book, Bolder, in his interview with me.
5 Big ideas for me from the book, Bolder by Carl Honore. The book about making the most of our longer lives.
1. Many conceptional innovators run out of puff not because of aging itself, but because they quit doing their cognitive burpees.
They rest on their laurels. They stop experimenting and take risks. They become captives of the status quo.
(My words adding to this: With so much distraction in our world, we need to build in life structures and habits to keep us focused on the vital few pursuits that fuel our joy.
Focus just as hard on refuelling and rebooting yourself as being totally focus on a project. This will sustain us in making the most of a long life full of purpose and passion)
2. The brain is at its most plastic in the first 2 decades of life. New connections form and existing ones strengthens on weakens, more easily. This is the reason children seem like sponges and soaking up information and knowledge so quickly.
That does not fall off a leaning curve at the age of 20,40,60 or 80. Quite the opposite. The chief obstacle to learning in later life is NOT the aging brain it is the ageist stereotypes that erode our confidence and put us of trying new things in the first place.
The old saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, is not even true of dogs.
(My words adding to this: We learn from Neuroplasticity that our brains are plastic and like a muscle. We are not struck with the brain we are born with. We can continuously train and rebuild our brain through education and even exercise.
Don’t buy into what society or toxic people want to sell you. Consciously focus on every thought and word you speak, because it influences your sub-conscious and default of thing and ultimately results.)
3.
Japanese have a saying called “Ikigai” and it translates roughly to
the following.
“A reason to get up in the morning”
It can be for anything: work, art,
family and tend to change in different stages of life.
We need to encourage everyone to find their own Ikigai.
(My words adding to this: Your Ikigai is your passion and more importantly
your purpose in life. I find old school journaling
the best way of find my Ikigai. Do you know your life purpose?)
4.
To make the most of our longer lives we need
to build trust, understanding and respect across generations. The only way is to rub shoulders more
often.
Growing older changes us, and every stage has its own unique ledger of pros and cons.
Mohammed Ali “The man who views the world the same at 50 the same as at 20, wasted 30 years of his life”
(My words adding to this: We only have one life. Life with total purpose and passion. Make daily education a habit. We will never outperform our inner work and
self)
5. Ellen Langer of Harvard noted: Continuously thinking that you are old makes your mind and body decline. Thinking you are young has the opposite effect.
(My words adding to this: Don’t underestimate
every single thought and word)
I hope these 5 big ideas are valuable to you as well.
Please share with a friend if you find value from it.
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