A Golden Nugget from Chapter 1: "The learned man aims for more. But the wise man decreases. And then decreases again"
Is more of something better than less of something? More ideas, more money, more traveling, more house (bigger), more women/men, more cars, more jewelry, or more time?
I don't know but in my experience the answer is no.
A learned man is one who has a lot of knowledge obtained to study.
A wise man is one who demonstrates good judgement, knowledge and experience.
A learned man has a bunch of knowledge but what he lacks is the insight, good judgment, and experience of the wise man.
1. The pursuit of more. A man spends his entire life stockpiling a billion dollars and then he spends the later part of his life giving all his money away. Interesting.
2. We have so much stuff there's an entire culture created around minimalism and The The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Marie Kondo because we're overwhelmed. The national average spent on storage units in one calendar year is $1,000 +.
3. We are so tied to our stuff and things in the external world than many executives at Fortune 500 companies committed suicide during the 2008 economic collapse. Our self-worth is tethered to nothingness.
4. We focus our attention on things we cannot control in the external world and little attention is given to going inside ourselves with depth resides. No wonder we are so depressed, suicidal, sad, and angry.
5. It used to be that we were trying to keep up with the mythical Joneses but now we've replaced it with the Kardashians. We're always chasing ghosts. We're playing a game that is not only NOT satisfying but a game that we can't win.
6. Ok. You get the trophy wife. The big house on the hill. More money than God. Luxury automobiles. Vacations to exotic places. You're still not happy. You still won't more and you're so afraid of losing what you already have.
7. The American Dream" was coined by James Truslow Adams in 1931, saying that "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone.." When I look the external world I don't see most people living richer and fuller lives.
8. A great question to contemplate. Are you able to distinguish the foolish from the wise?
9. Choosing yourself has little do with an era (a slice of time). Choosing yourself is what everyone is already doing but most are doing so in a very unconscious way. You choose yourself so that you can give your best to others.
10. Once you have given your gifts and talents to another with no expectation in return you will have an experience that you can't quite put into words. Giving and receiving are one in the same - married for eternity.
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