Read Books and Beat the Goldfish! #LeadersAreReaders February 2022

Currently, I’m rereading Chris Bailey’s Hyperfocus (2018). When I went to MPH Bookstore the other day, I saw a new book that interest me by Johann Hari entitled Stolen Focus (2022). But the price is so expensive, RM89.90! I understand the book business is having a hard time nowadays and in the same way, owning physical books and encouraging people to be readers is getting hard too (state libraries and discount bookstores like BookXcess are saviors for bibliophiles). Not that I cannot afford to buy the book but as I browse through the contents - besides having newer research and the author’s unique perspectives - I realize that the challenge of managing attention and focus today is the same as yesterday. No new book can claim that this is a new phenomenon. Thus, I reread Hyperfocus and settle with just listening and watching interviews of Johann Hari online… hoping that soon the State Library will have it available. Lord, have mercy.

“Reading a book requires a good deal of attention,” writes Chris Bailey, “and with attention becoming a rare commodity, fewer people can devote themselves to reading without distraction.” Attention is our most limited and constrained resource. According to Microsoft Attention Spans Research Report*, the average human attention span in 2000 is 12 seconds and in 2013, it decreased drastically to 8 seconds (I don’t know how they measure this, but the goldfish have an average attention span of 9 seconds. 1 second longer than the average human!). In today’s fast-paced world of information overload, we’re constantly flooded with social media notifications, text messages, and games. Smartphone users, like you and me, check our devices about 80 to 90 times a day. No wonder we are so distracted. This is one of the reasons for the decline of book-reading culture in Malaysia and the world in general.  We still read but read bits and pieces of information. We have amassed lots of random information but lack actual knowledge, depth, and wisdom. This is not just affecting the overall quality of our work-life (or study-life, if you’re a student) but also the state of our mental health and spirituality.

Therefore, you must cultivate a love for reading books. It helps to train you (or force you, at the beginning) to increase your attention spans. It requires attention and it improves your attention. Jessalyn Lau, from the neuroscience perspective, says: “Reading has been proven to increase your focus, attention span, concentration, and to improve memory.” Perhaps you say you don’t have time to read books. I get what you mean. You have works to do, family to care for, products to promote, etc. But “no time” is a myth. Unless you move at the speed of light and the theory of special relativity applied to you, we all have the same amount of time. It's not about you don’t have time but it's about you MAKE time. We have no problem carving out time for things we want to do. So, take or buy a book that interest you, set an uninterrupted time (10 to 15 minutes for a start) today, turn off or switch your smartphone to silent mode and put it away from your reach, make a cup of hot coffee or tea or chocolate and start reading! Start small but do it frequently. At first, you will still be easily distracted. However, over time it will become a habit. And soon, you will be proud of yourself because you have beat the goldfish attention span record! Congratulation!

*https://www.scribd.com/document/265348695/Microsoft-Attention-Spans-Research-Report  

#ServeToLead #Hyperfocus #AttentionSpans #BeatTheGoldfish #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read my book reviews of #LeadersAreReaders FEBRUARY 2022, CLICK LINKS below:

1) On the Future: Prospects for Humanity (2018) by Martin Rees https://bit.ly/OnTheFuture

2) The Gift of Reading (2016) by Robert Macfarlane https://bit.ly/MacfarlaneReading 

3) 25 Ways to Win With People (2005) by John C. Maxwell https://bit.ly/25WaysPeople 

4) The Previous book reviews https://bit.ly/1Book1Week 

 

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/                             
Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiSpotify                            
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LEGASItv/                        

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything (2009) by Ken Robinson, Ph.D, Book Review

The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything (2009)

by Ken Robinson, Ph.D. (with Lou Aronica)

"My aim in writing [this book]," writes the late Sir Robinson (1950 - 2020) in the introduction, "is to offer a richer vision of human ability and creativity and of the benefits to us all of connecting properly with our individual talents and passions." This aim resonates with my own belief and probably that was why I bought the book when I first saw it (or subconsciously I was influenced by his most popular TED talk of all time, Do Schools Kill Creativity? Check out his other TED talks too). As a student of the Word of God and a temporary citizen of the world, I firmly believe in the depths of human depravity and at the same time, I have a high view of human ability and potential. The lens of which I read this book is from the Biblical worldview but let me write this review from the humanistic worldview as it is written.

What is the Element? Sir Robinson defines it as "the place where the things we love to do and the things we are good at come together." I find that this concept is not unique. For example, Jim Collins' The Hedgehog Concept consists of these two factors and another one, namely, what drives your economic engine. And the Japanese Ikigai is more detailed which consists of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. But what makes Ken's Element interesting is that - besides its simplicity - it takes a holistic approach not just from an individual perspective (like Ikigai) or from the business standpoint (like Jim Collin's Good To Great) but the discovery of the Element will not only makes us more fulfilled "but because, as the world evolves, the very future of our communities and institutions will depend on it." In The Afterword, he is making a good case about this. Of all the inspiring stories told in the book about how people like Richard Branson, Paul McCartney, Arianna Huffington, Paulo Coelho, etc. from very different backgrounds and circumstances found their Elements and self-help antidotes permeate throughout the pages (I love the chapters on Think Differently, Beyond Imagining, Finding Your Tribe & What Will They Think?), one subject that sparks my most interest is on EDUCATION (the last chapter Making the Grade focus on this).

"Many of the people we've met in this book didn't do well at school, or at least didn't enjoy being there," emphasized Sir Robinson. "Of course, many people do well in their schools and love what they have to offer. But too many graduate or leave early, unsure of their real talents and not knowing what direction to take next. Too many think they're not good at anything." This is exactly the problem that I see in most of the education systems in the world today especially in Malaysia. In school and university, I was an average student based on the system standards. My teachers think I'm smart at mathematics because I get an A and dumb in English because I get a D but in my job now it doesn't require my math skill to succeed but my ability to communicate well that is more important. My parents gave me approval when I get a B+ for history and disappointed when I get a C for science but as it turns out I'm more interested in the wonder of science now than the history lessons of Kesultanan Melayu Melaka. I studied civil engineering in the university to secure a good future vocation but God ends up calling me to be in the full-time Christian ministry. I appreciate every experience and education that I've learned when I was in school and university but truth be told I only discover my Element - what I love to do and the things that I'm good at - years after I left that 'cage' and enter the real world.

I'm not anti-education (as you can see from the volume and variety of interests that I have and the books that I read) but I'm against standardizing education. "One size does not fit all," said the author. For example, in school, the measure of our smartness or intelligence is based on our test or exam results. If you have a good memory, are very intellectual, and know the 'right' answers, you will definitely get good grades. But human intelligence is not limited to knowledge-based or one-right-answer for everything. Our human intelligence, explains Sir Robinson, is extraordinarily diverse, tremendously dynamic, and entirely distinctive (or unique). The question we should ask is not "How intelligent are you?" which suggest limitation but "How are you intelligent?" which suggest many possibilities. By schooling standard, culinary arts is probably the secondary subject (if any) but look at what Datuk Chef Wan has accomplished and sports or PJK may be seen as a recreational subject but see what Pandelela Rinong has become. Both of them have discovered their Elements in the less known (or order of importance) subjects in school. How about others who have these talents too but are unable to express them because they are stuck in a mathematics group study, language class, and science tuition to get good grades at school which may or may not be relevant to them in the ever-changing future?

"The fact is that given the challenges we face, education doesn't need to be reformed - it needs to be transformed." Sir Robinson continues: "The key to this transformation is not to standardize education but to personalize it, to build achievement on discovering the individual talents of each child, to put students in an environment where they want to learn and where they can naturally discover their true passions. The key is to embrace the core principles of the Element. Some of the most invigorating and successful innovations in education around the world illustrate the real power of this approach." Yes, I agree wholeheartedly! There are other gems and aha moments that I get from this book. I haven't mentioned another subject that I'm very interested in, namely, CREATIVITY. But enough for me to say: if you're still in search of your Element and you want to be inspired and if you are in the business of helping others to discover their Elements, read this book!

[Note: There is a follow-up book after this one, Finding Your Element: How to Discover Your Talents and Passions and Transform Your Life (2014). I suggest, if you already read The Element, you don't need to read this one because the contents are apparently not that good. Average. Just find his keynotes and talks on this subject online. Try YouTube videos.]

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #KenRobinson #TheElement #EducationSystem #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read my other reviews of #1Book1Week CLICK HERE

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/                           
Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiSpotify            
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LEGASItv/        

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

The Duties of Parents (2010, first published 1888) by J. C. Ryle, Book Review

 The Duties of Parents (2010, first published 1888) by J. C. Ryle

My parents are good but not saints; as far as I can remember, they never taught me about Christ and the Word directly but I remember they (especially mom) taught me to pray before a meal and went to bed; I believe they want the best for me but in our culture, best mean mediocrity. I don't blame them, they just follow the examples from their own parents, grandparents, and so on. I never regret having them as my parents (although, I once imagined that I'm the prince of the King of England!) but I decide, by God's grace, to make a difference for my future children. You should too. Change must start with us. Bishop J.C. Ryle (1816-1900), of which his seven volumes of Expository Thoughts on the Gospels I owned, open this short book with the famous verse from Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go - and when he is old, he will not depart from it." If the crisis of ungodliness among young people during Ryle's time was alarming as he mentions in the book, then, surely today has become worse. In my observation, the responsibility to "train up a child" that is supposed to begin at home has ended up mostly left to the school, the church (if any), and even social media. This is not supposed to be so for Proverb 22:6 assumes that it is the responsibility of the parents or the close guardian(s) of "a child" to give godly instructions and to train him or her to walk with God. Ryle explains: "The plain truth is, the Lord's commandment in our text is not regarded - and therefore the Lord's promise in our text is not fulfilled." Don't make excuses, just obey the Word of God and you will be blessed. Here are Ryle's seventeen (17) insights of biblical responsibility of child-rearing that he outlines in this book:

1. If you train your children rightly, train them in the way they should go, and not in the way they would
2. Train Up your child with all tenderness, affection, and patience
3. Train your children with an abiding persuasion on your mind that much depends upon you
4. Train with this thought continually before your eyes – that the soul of your child is the first thing to be considered
5. Train your child to a knowledge of the Bible
6. Train them to a habit of prayer
7. Train them to habits of diligence, and regularity about public means of grace
8. Train them to a habit of faith
9. Train them to a habit of obedience
10. Train them to a habit of always speaking the truth
11. Train them to a habit of always redeeming the time
12. Train them with a constant fear of overindulgence
13. Train them remembering continually how God trains His children
14. Train them remembering continually the influence of your own example
15. Train them remembering continually the power of sin
16. Train them remembering continually the promises of Scripture
17. Train them, lastly, with continual prayer for a blessing on all you do

#ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #JCRyle #GodlyParentsGodlyChildren #NoExcuseJustObey #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/            

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/            

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LEGASItv/

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

How To Know If The Leader Is Doing Good?

John C. Maxwell says in his highly recommended book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, The Law of the Lid, "Leadership ability determines a person's level of effectiveness." Or, in my own paraphrase, to see how the leader is doing, look at the people he/she is leading. Broken families? Look at the leaders (a.k.a. parents). Churches break down? Look at the leaders. Chaotic government? Look at the leaders.

Now, at some point, people are responsible for their own decisions or indecisions. But leaders almost always can make a difference! 😉⚡👊 #ServeToLead #GrowingLeader #SpiritualLeader #JohnCMaxwell’

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/   

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/  

IG: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/  

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv  

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

It Might Not What It Seems to You, But I'm A Saint! (Colossians 1:2)

“We are writing to God’s holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ” (Colossians 1:2, NLT)

“To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse” (Colossians 1:2, NKJV)

There are two things that I would like to point out here: 1) Saints… in Christ.” Saints or “God’s holy people” in Christ are those who have received Him and those whom He has received. To me, this is the description of ALL believers. Mind you, God does not choose us because we are saintly - but to make us saintly! To make us holy! “Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, he freed us from sin” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Although it might not what it seems to you, in Christ, you and I are saints. And no church denominational or religious institution or Vatican council can decide either anyone a saint (or not), for saintliness is God’s decision and declaration. Only by grace through faith. This is our position in Christ!

Now, if you and I, in Christ, are saints, then why are we sometime don’t act like that? Let me explain. If you read the entire letter or epistle to the Colossians, Paul warned the believers in Colosse to protect themselves against error and sin and to stir them to saintliness, for sainthood is a possession, a profession, and a practice. While we are still here on earth with human bodies, we are not going to be perfect. We are saints - and saints in the making. God is in the process of making us into perfection and holiness. A theological term for this is sanctification. 

The second thing is 2) “Faithful brethren in Christ.” It means those who have faith in Christ. No one can be faithful until he or she has faith. And faithfulness is continuous - always have faith in Him. By calling the believers as “saints and faithful,” Paul by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is saying that: Saving faith in Christ always sanctifies, and the sanctified ones (saints) want to be (continuously) saintly and faithful. There are people who profess to know Christ but never change. The proof that one really possesses God’s salvation is becoming more perfect, saintly, and faithful.

I hope my point is not confusing… probably there are grammar mistakes… But this is not a mistake: In Christ, I am a saint. Call me Saint Richard Angelus. Praise God!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Change Your Perspective

Very often in our lives, when you change your perspective, you see things differently. Two persons can look at the same object or event and come out with different meaning or conclusion. What loss? What setback? What problem you're facing today? Whatever it is, change your perspective! #ServeToLead #GrowingLeader #ChangeYourPerspective

Watch move short personal development videos, go to: https://bit.ly/LegasiSelfDevelopment 

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/ 

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/ 

IG: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/ 

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv 

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

The Compound Effect

[5:01mins] I made a simple survey today. I asked some of my family members and friends who are smokers: What cigarette brand are they smoking now? How much it cost per pack? On average, how long a pack will last? (Note: We ALL have some habits that we are not proud of). What I want to show you is the compounding effect - and it can be applied to any parts of our lives, especially, if you want to build or change your habits #ServeToLead #GrowingLeader #TheLawsOfGrowth #TheCompoundEffect

To watch the summary for each of The 15 Laws of Growth, CLICK HERE > https://bit.ly/The15Laws  

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/ 

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/ 

IG: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/ 

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv 

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

K.E.Y. to Personal Growth

We all know that we’ll accomplish nothing if we choose to stay inside our comfort zone. When you’re comfortable doing things it’s usually a sign that you should change something and challenge yourself a bit. Personal growth is the only chance we have to continue learning, keep growing and developing and it’d be a shame if we wasted that chance and chose to stay in our comfort zones forever. The KEY is [K]eep [E]ducating [Y]ourself #ServeToLead #GrowingLeader #TheLawsOfGrowth

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/ 

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/ 

IG: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/ 

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv 

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Angelus' Quote: Leaders Can't Stand to Leave Things the Way They Found Them

Leaders are not satisfied with personal success; they want to make a difference 🔥They can't stand to leave things the way they found them. They are driven to make them better. It is from this discontent, with ownership and commitment, that they exercise influence as leaders ☑💪😉 #ServeToLead

______________

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/

IG: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

As A Man Thinketh #7 You Can Choose Your Thoughts

“A person cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances”

(James Allen, As A Man Thinketh)

In Pam Golden’s book Choose the Happiness Habit, she writes a good illustration for this quote: “Take the story of two brothers who are twins. One grows up to be an alcoholic bum. The other becomes an extremely successful businessman. When the alcoholic is asked why he became a drunk, he replies, ‘My father was a drunk.’ When the successful businessman is asked why he became successful, he says, ‘My father was a drunk.’ Same background. Same upbringing. Very different choice.” The brothers chose different thoughts about the identical experience. Those thoughts over the years shaped the circumstances they now find themselves in. The successful brother chose to view his negative upbringing as a positive motivation to be a better man than his father. He chose his thoughts rightly “and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances.”

Bob Proctor, author, and motivational speaker, says, “You’re either living in the problem or you’re living in the solution.” Whenever I’m in negative circumstances, I try my best to view them from a positive perspective first. In my mind, I thought: if this is a problem, then I can solve it; if I can’t solve it, then it’s a fact of life. If I can solve it, no matter how hard and long it will be, it will be solved. Then, I shouldn’t worry about it. If it’s a fact of life, I can’t do anything about it, so might as well, it is useless for me to worry about it. There are two empowering thoughts whenever you face a bad circumstance: #1 Be In A Problem-Solving Mode. List down ideas that might be a solution and don’t delay, take action, and #2 Activate Your Learning Mode. Never be so caught up in solving the problem that you missed the lessons. Focus on the possible lessons you might learn from the circumstance.

George Bernard Shaw has this great saying: “People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and if they can’t find them, make them” …Think about it!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/

IG: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv

Blog: https://www.richardangelus.me/                                                                                                                  

As A Man Thinketh #6 How to Overcome Doubt and Fear

"Thoughts of doubt and fear can never accomplish anything. They always lead to failure"

(James Allen, As A Man Thinketh)

I think it's Napoleon Hill who said: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." When we spend inordinate amounts of time fearing something or event in the future (not happened yet), many times that which we fear comes upon us. When it does, we wonder why it happens to us, when in reality, we are responsible for the most part for our troubles. It all started with a thought of doubt. Then it causes an emotion of fear, which manifests itself physically as anxiety. Anxiety robs us of our power, energy, and focus. Severe anxiety will not only mess our minds but also undermine our health – and it's all brought on by a thought of doubt. It "can never accomplish anything."

There are three (3) basic ways that help me overcome thoughts of doubt. First, I change my mind about doubt and keep it changed. If I doubt whether I'm going to have enough money to make it to the end of the month, I change my mind about it. When doubt knocks, I pray and affirm to myself that: "God will always provide for me. He is good. And I always find a way to have enough of what I need." Dan Brule advised, "If you are going to doubt anything in life, doubt your limitations."

Secondly, overcome doubt and fear with massive actions. Do the thing you fear and fear will disappear (rhyming, huh?). "Inaction breeds doubt and fear," writes Dale Carnegie, "Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home and think about it. go out and get busy." This action-oriented mindset will always work! Trust me. Thirdly, replace fear with faith. Some people say fear and faith cannot co-exist. I disagree. They can co-exist. What's important is which one is greater? If my fear is greater than my faith, it will eventually fail. But if my faith is greater than my fear, success is my inevitable future. Bob Proctor puts it nicely: "Faith and fear demand you believe in something you cannot see. You choose." Think about it!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/

IG: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv

Blog: https://www.richardangelus.me/

Spartan Up! A Take No-Prisoners Guide to Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Peak Performance in Life (2014) by Joe De Sena, Book Review

Spartan Up! A Take No-Prisoners Guide to Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Peak Performance in Life (2014) by Joe De Sena with Jeff O' Connell

"Healthy foods, healthy attitude, healthy relationships, healthy mind, and healthy body together define a complete Spartan lifestyle – the Spartan code in action," writes Joe De Sena, a co-founder of the Spartan Race. I'm pumped up when I read this book. I started to be aware of the food that I eat (avoid carbonated drinks and fast foods at all costs, except for pork burgers with lots of mayonnaise). I either hike to the hills/mountains or hit the gym or just walk for miles daily because I said to myself, "That's what a Spartan does." Life is a movement. A body in motion tends to stay in motion. My dream body is not bulky, but muscularly-lean. As Joe says, "Spartans need muscular endurance more than they need huge muscles." I believe in the spirit-mind-body connection. Spiritual fitness is essential. Fit mind without a fit body, die early. Fit body without a fit mind, stupid. Fit mind in a fit body is living a fuller life. Spartan up!

Not everyone can do what Joe De Sena does. He is a legend in endurance and adventure racing circles. In only 1 week he completed the 135-mile Badwater ultramarathon, raced the 140.6 miles of the Lake Placid Ironman, and finished a 100-mile trail run in Vermont! I'll be dead. It fits because his mantra is: "Give me the hardest thing you got." You and I don't have to do what he does. Joe (read about why he did it in the book) might be a bit of extreme, but what he tries to shows and write in this book is that IT IS POSSIBLE. "We are all destined for the grave," Joe writes as a matter-of-fact, "but what a tragedy to arrive there without any scars, without any mark to show that we tried to do something amazing." I translate that as – push yourself to the limit or at least make much of your life. Two more chapters before I finished reading this book, I watched the movie 300 (2006) again for the fourth time. Dilios says about the King of Spartan, Leonidas, "For he did not wish tribute, nor song, nor monuments, nor poems of war and valor. His wish was simple, ‘Remember us. Remember why we died.'" Do something amazing. Spartan up!

There are 5 Key Lessons that I learned from this book:

#1 Toughen Your Will (or Push Yourself Out of Comfort Zone). Where there's a will, there's a way. A cliché but true. Old runner proverb puts it this way: "You run the first half with your legs, the second half with your mind." When you wish to watch Netflix or YouTube all day long, it takes a tough will to go out of the room and exercise instead. When you desire to eat fast food because, well, it's fast to prepare, it takes a tough will to choose a healthier meal. When laziness strikes you hard and the bed or chair is warm and comfortable, it requires a tough will to get up and put on your running shoes. "It sounds hard," writes Joe in the chapter Confronting the Greatest Obstacle: Your Will, "but I think everybody needs to suffer a little." Toughen your will and you'll build "obstacle immunity."

#2 Change Your Mindset (or Change Your Frame of Reference). "The hardest part of all of us is convincing our minds what our bodies are capable of." I witness this a lot: many trains the body but forget to train the mind. To win every battle, one must first win on the battlefield of the mind. This means mastering your emotions, decide what's important beforehand (Joe have this "the upside" priorities, read it), and focus by resisting distractions and temptations, especially avoiding the short-term satisfaction temptations (the cookies or marshmallows test). Setting your mind to, "It is possible, I can do it!" and do it is what separates the Spartans and the ordinaries.

#3 Exercise Regularly (or Be Physically Active). "Exercise is the best defense you have against anxiety, stress, depression and a whole host of other diseases." I might not agree that every disease is related to the lack of exercise, but as Joe says, "When it comes to exercise, the rich grow richer." Yes! Exercise is as much a mindset as it is a motion. Often, when I went to the gym that is in the 3rd-floor building, most people rather use lift than stairs. I thought, "Are you coming here to exercise?" It is good to keep in mind that to exercise is to be physically active. It means taking every opportunity to move your muscles. Also, do as much outdoor exercise as possible. Hiking, walking, running, swimming, etc. You'll breathe fresh air and a lot more challenging than predicable gym equipment.

#4 Eat Healthy (or Change Your Diet). Honest to say, most healthy food is expensive. I eat oat a lot but rice is much cheaper. Fresh fruits can be costly too. I don't drink nutritional dairy products such as milk and protein shake because I have lactose intolerant. And one other factor: it's expensive. But there are less expensive ways to eat healthily such as drink enough water, avoid fast foods, be intentional with sugary items intake ("You want to get a runner's high, not a sugar high"), choose vegetables and don't do emotional eating! I like Joe's advice: "Eating clean today is for tomorrow. Clean food helps you recover from hard work and high stress alike… lead the charge in crushing obesity."

#5 Welcome Pain (and even Failure). This requires grit. Grit refers to "an indefatigable will to overcome obstacles… Grit emerges out of the force of will that manifests action. Grit is execution. Grit gets shit done." Most people – including me – when encountered with pain, we tend to quit. The pain of not reaching goals, that's why we don't set goals anymore. The pain of a tired body, that's why watching TV on the couch is more desirable. The pain of criticism, naysayers, and lavish-caring can stop us before we even try. But if you embrace the lifestyle of Spartan (which I'm convinced that I should. Thanks Joe!), you don't see the pain the same way again. It will not be a stopper but a pusher. Joe encourages us: "Being a Spartan is about giving your best effort, proving your doubters wrong, and getting it done when other people are sitting at home watching TV."

As I'm writing this, 18th October 2019, Spartan Race will be held tomorrow, 19th – 20th October 2019, at Semenggok, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Kuching is my birthplace. One of the ‘marketing' strategy that Joe De Sena does in this book is to encourage the reader to sign up for the Spartan Race all over the world. At first, I'm a bit irritated by the ‘marketing' bombarded messages throughout the book. But after I finished reading it, it all makes sense for two reasons: 1) The Spartan Race is one of the ways for me to test my commitment to the Spartan lifestyle. It's easy to make a decision, but it's another way to commit to it… Do I have what it takes? and 2) Be honest, if I sign up for the Race, it good for Joe's business. I'm not going to sign up, though. Not yet. I know about the Race only recently. I will sign up for next year! Meanwhile, I will train myself hard, Spartan up!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/

IG: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv

Blog: https://www.richardangelus.me/                  

    

Angelus' Quote: If You Don't Like the Circumstance You're In, Change It!

I believe that we should not permit circumstances to affect our relationship to God, but rather we should allow our relationship with God to affect our circumstances 😁

George Bernard Shaw, perhaps an atheist but more of a mystic, says it well (although contradict in our core beliefs) and fit with what I want to say: "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and, if they can't find them, make them" 😉 #ServeToLead

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/

IG: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/

Blog: https://www.richardangelus.me/