Reading with My Ears [July 9]

I've been listening to books on tape as I drive home from work. I would probably get more out of them if I actually sat down and read--but I've pulled away a few key principals that have catalyzed a paradigm shift for me.

From Blink (by Malcolm Gladwell) I learned that if you study the details--and come to understand the patterns that you see--that you can make very effective and surprisingly accurate decisions very quickly. I loved the concept of "thin slicing" which refers to getting a lot of information from observing a small sample of related data. How this idea applys to dating will have to be the subject of a future entry.

Good to Great (by Jim Collins) taught me the importance of "putting the right people on the bus in the right seats." How does that apply to me? I need to surround myself by good and talented people so that I can learn from them. "You've been in there for a long time." I was talking to my roommate Lily a couple of Saturdays ago, and she had noticed how I hadn't moved from my the kitchen table for multiple hours. I was doing some soul-searching trying to figure out my very own Hedgehog concept. Jim would have been proud. The basic notion is that a hedgehog isn't good at very many things--but he's the best at what he does. If you find the things that you are passionate about, that drive your economic engine, and that you can be the best in the world at--then you will become great.

I just started Rich Dad, Poor Dad (by Robert Kiyosaki) and it has already got my wheels turning. What I thought was especially profound, was the thought that being rich comes not from the amount of money that you make, but how you control your spending. He talked about the simple concept of using your head and looking for ways to make money work for you--instead of being a slave to money. I'm looking forward to learning more.

Anyway, there is so much to learn. I love the insights that I'm gaining--we truly are a product of the books we read and the people we meet. I hope I'll let these lessons sink in properly.

So speaking of lessons I also went to the gym today and had my body fat percentage checked: 25%. Wahoo! Nothing like finding out that a quarter of you is nothing but fat. My target percentage should be around 17. I also jumped on the scales and found that I now weigh in at 130 lbs. I've been putting 125 when the treadmils and elipicals ask me for my weight. Sad. Why am I publishing this for all to see? Two reasons: (1) it's not like everyone can't see me and put together some of that information anyway, and (2) I need to record this somewhere for motivation. One day I hope to look back with a smile and think "look how far I've come." I just hope I move in the right direction. :o) I was talking to someone who pointed out that my metabolism would start slowing down next year--that's all I need. So I picked up some leaner things at the grocery store. We'll see what happends--wish me luck! I'm going to need it.