Pillar of Mental

I did not get a chance to continue my writing or even my reading much as I just got on to my new job and re-starting my academic semester. All my evenings are almost packed with something. I guess I am still trying to squeeze some time here to update what I have read so far.

I have caught up with the next pillar with James talking about Mental strength. The ability to control your emotions gives you tremendous power to change the quality of your experiences, the quality of your results and the quality of your life. In my own relation, I would like to think that this is part of self-cultivation and improving the way you carry yourself. As the book reads, owning your own emotions is important and we start off with appreciating that our experience in life has nothing to do with external events. We are the ones who gave meaning to these events based on the emotions we put in. I recall at times I am swearing at slow drivers or inconsiderate ones on the road and often it results me getting impatient. I have since calmed myself better and just sway my head but just accepts that every day there would be new drivers on the road. So it means I just have to keep a look for these people and serve as a reminder to be more careful on the road. But I did not have an easy time trying to achieve this but it helps me better each day and I can control my emotions better.

I would want to continue on the next pillar on physical but I guess this will be left to my next writing. This book is really interesting and like I mention early, it brings great self cultivation for sure, a wealth which will truly own by you or me for long time to come....

Five Pillars

Having read through the book for about 2/3, I have already covered the Financial, Relational and Mental pillars. One of the recommendations from the book in the Financial pillar is to use Intention cards in our daily life to remind ourselves what we are our goals sounds familiar but hardly anyone puts to action, including myself. This is what I am going to get started, to use these intention cards to remind myself and set goals. To create the goals and attract my own attention towards them.

I happened to be going through a mid career reflection during this period and it seems the book teaches me quite a few things especially when I am reading through the mental pillar section. I like some of the phrases used in the book such as "life isnt about fault, its about results", "everything is your responsibility, not your fault", "let energy go and forgive", etc... Very often we carry lots of burden from our anger and bad memories which zaps our energy from focusing on things to move us forward. Believe me too, I tried this and it helps changes my mind. I initiated to patch up with some colleagues which I thought I would be angry with and forgave some friends whom I have got angry for long time during this period. Guess what, I think I gained more friends than enemies and makes me feel so much better.

I would also like to share another quote from the Mental pillar "Motivation is something that comes from external, or at best must be generated. Inspiration, on the other hand, is something that comes from inside and requires no effort whatsoever". Upon reading this, I felt it is connected to what people have always been saying about finding a job or career which is of your interest. On a self evaluation, I do feel that many of us lack the courage to do what we are best at or we have already carried too much commitments / lack of the freedom to pursue. Most of us only realized or being matured enough to understand our own personality or strengths beyond our 20s. This also explains why we ended up looking for motivation to continue what we have started rather than to follow our inspiration to pursue. But from this point, I would like to balanace from both and be able to fulfill my commitments as well as to pursue my intuitions...

The Singapore sold version is in purple cover....