258. Command Structure

"Nothing is possible unless there is one person in command whom the others always have to obey, starting at the top and ending at the very bottom."
- Adolph Hitler.

There can only ever be one captain on a ship. You must decide for yourself how you will organise your internal command structure. If you put Reason in charge, you will not go wrong.

257. Study

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz_2undwiqY&p=EE3610626B7B3438&playnext=1&index=19 

When studying, make use of all the techniques available to you and look for new ones everywhere. Read the literature of Educational Psychology. Study the books:
Use Your Head - Tony Buzan
Read Well and Remember - Owen Webster
Study to Succeed - Phillip Hills
How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci - Michael Gelb
Goal Mapping - Brian Maye.

256. Crying

Crying is the natural expression of grief. When you are very sad it is perfectly right to cry.

When you are out and about in the world, however, crying can be seen as a weakness. This is then used by others as an excuse to take advantage of you.

There are people in the world who themselves have very low self-esteem and if they see you crying, will seize on it to make fun of you and make you feel even worse. They do this to make themselves feel better (at your expense). It should not make them feel better. It should make them feel ashamed because it is mean, spiteful and small-minded. It is extremely petty. They feel better because they are mean, bitter and twisted people.

People like this are not worth bothering about for they are cowards and bullies. They are best left to their own devices.

Never let your true feelings be known to all and sundry. Do not give your heart to the dogs in the street to play with nor to the pigs to trample.

Observe what happens when other boys cry. See who goes to comfort them and who laughs and makes fun of them. That will tell you who to keep as friends and who to leave behind. Beware of the ones who make fun of the weak as they seek to control others (and you if you're not careful.) In short, never let yourself be seen crying in public.

255. Trust

In the final analysis, if it does not suit someone to be trusted, you will not be able to trust them. Trust is conditional. Trust is always temporary and it must be weighed freshly every time it is applied for. Circumstances change and just because someone was trustworthy in the past does not mean they can be trusted again. Trust is not automatic. Never allow your granting of it to be done mechanically. Make sure that your trusting is a conscious act. Trust works two ways. Once broken, trust can never be fully regained.

254. Have Your Dreams

Always have great dreams. One day, you will realise them so long as you set goals and make realistic plans. Once you have realised them, replace them with even greater dreams. Until you have realised the dream, be clear in your mind that it isa dream dnd do not take it for reality. Keep your feet on the ground and your eyes fixed on your goals.

253. Never Take the Easy Way Out.

"Keep your feet on the ground and never do the soft thing." -Marjorie Allingham.
"Who must do the hard thing? - Those who can." -Trevanian.
Face things squarely.
Be a realist not a fantasist.

252. Resources

All the resources we need for everything are present right here, right now in the mind and available for our use.

251. Do It Now !

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best is now ! Every man should do 3 things : "Have a son, plant a tree and write a book." -Dominic Timothy Mulvey.

250. The Name Mulvey

Your name is Mulvey. You come from an illustrious family. Mulvey is one of the Great Family Names. The Family is full of tradition. Remember this, however, a name is nothing unless those who bear it stand above their peers, for it is not the accident of your birth that makes you great but your character.

249. A Wise Man Defined

One definition of a wise man is someone who sees things as they really are and not how he would like them to be.

248. Criticism

Be on your guard against unnecessary fault-finding. If you cannot say anything good shut up ! Do not sharply correct people for bad grammar, spellings, provincialisms or mispronounciation. It is much better to simply use the proper form yourself when you speak.

247. Modesty in Learning

Never show off your learning by telling everyone how much you know. Always share your knowledge when asked but do it modestly without ostentation.

246. Courtesy and Respect

Be courteous to everyone present and you will gain enormous respect.

245.Three Things to Consider

1. Meet adversity with composure.
2. Make your explanations as clear as possible.
3. Learn to accept the favours of friends without lowering your self respect or appearing to be unfeeling.

244. Advice from Marcus Aurelius

Here are 10 things Marcus Aurelius advises :

1. Always be courteous and serene of temper.

2. Be manly without ostentation.

3. Be pious and generous. Avoid uncharitableness in thought word and action. Hold also a simplicity of life.

4. No expense should be spared for the sake of good masters (teachers).

5. Do not be partisan. Seek the bigger picture. Fear not hard work. Be sparing in your wants. Attend to your own needs. Mind your own business.Do not listen to gossip.

6. Do not be absorbed in trivial pursuits. Be sceptical of wizards and wonder workers with their tales of the supernatural.Eschew cock-fighting and other barbaric distractions. Do not resent outspokenness. Compose essays.

7. Learn Philosophy, Law and Wrestling. Remember that your character needs training and care daily.

8. Whenever someone falls out with you through ill temper and is willing to make peace again, be willing to meet him halfway.

9. Be accurate in your readings. Do not be content with a mere general idea of what is meant. Do not be too quickly convinced by a glib tongue.

10. You need to make decisions for yourself and do not depend on the hazzards of chance. Never for a moment, leave Reason out of sight.

243. Gratitude

Be grateful for all you have and are and all you have learned. Express genuine gratitude every day. It will keep your heart open. Keep a gratitude log alongside your victory log. Record your blessings.

242. Battles

The general rule is "Never fight a battle you can't win." However, there are some battles that must be fought whether you are to win lose or draw. When there is no alternative, resign yourself to the inevitability and resolve to do your best.

241. Controlling the Imagination.

The Imagination is a wonderful tool of the creative mind. Bear in mind that it is a servant and do not let it become your master. Always retain control over it. Be clear about the distinctions between reality and imagination and between imaginings and imagination. Imagination is always glamorous. It is the movie. Reality is never quite so pretty. Imagination allows you to be creative if it is used properly. When being creative if the mind throws up some fantastic image, do not say "This cannot be done." Rather, you should ask "How can this be done ?"

The ability to distinguish between reality and imagination is the ability to remain sane. If you cannot tell the difference, you are well on the road to madness.

Imagination is what allows you to be a great writer, poet, playwright, artist, sculptor, movie-maker or actor. Reality is the discipline to work through the obstacles to the execution of your imagined ideas. It is the persistence that keeps you at your desk even when you can think of nothing to write. It is the determination to never settle for second-best.

"Die Beste oder nichts" -Karl Benz.

240. When to Lie Low

"Learn to lie low when you are in the minority." - Sir John Lavery (1856-1941).

239. Keep Your Temper

Strive always to keep control of your temper. Learn to master it. If you lose your temper in an argument, you have lost the argument.

238. The Folly of Hatred.

Never hate your enemies. It clouds your judgement. Hatred can take over your mind if you allow it to and will prevent you from controlling your life. Hatred immobilises you. Hatred poisons you. If others know that you harbour hatred, they can use that knowledge to control and manipulate you.

237. Espionage

Foreknowledge enables you to strike and conquer and achieve the extra-ordinary. This kind of knowledge can only be obtained from men, spies. Engage shamelessly in espionage, but do not flaunt it, you do not want to be caught spying, if only because the information loses its value once the opposition knows that you have it.

Always have two or three sources of information (collateral sources) to corroborate your spies' reports before accepting that their information is correct. This applies to general information too.

Make use of local inhabitants, the officials of the enemy, turning the spies of the enemy (double agents), deception and those who return from the enemy camp.

Remember that all is fair in Love, War, Diplomacy, Politics and Business.

Even when there is no conflict, spend a little time each day trying to find out the secrets of the opposition. Build dossiers on them and study these well. Learn to use their successful techniques and to avoid their errors. Find their weaknesses and use them against them.

236.Speak of Success

Speak only of your successes, never of your failures.

235.Your Wealth Plans and the Plans of Others.

Do not foster the plans other people have for increasing their wealth, e.g. by buying their products unnecessarily. Instead focus on and carry out your own (secret) plans for the accumulation of wealth.

234. Warfare (4) Divide and Conquer.

Study and learn the techniques of driving a wedge between your enemy's front and rear, left and right flanks; prevent co-operation between his divisions; disrupt his communications; hinder his rescue attempts; prevent his officers from rallying the men. Always try to seize something that your opponent holds dear - then he will be amenable to your will. When you've got them by the balls, their heart and mind must follow.

Prevent your enemy from marshalling his forces. Interrupt him at every turn. Break his rhythms and do not establish patterns of your own. Learn the use of off-timing and master its techniques.

233. Warfare (3}

When fire breaks out in your enemy's camp, respond at once with an attack from without. Hit them while they are distracted and in disorder.

232. Warfare (2)

Always be sure of your facts and of the enemy strength brfore joining battle. If fighting is sure to result in victory for you then you must fight. If it is sure to result in defeat then you must NOT. Do not fight for mere fame nor should you fear disgrace because you have retreated. Remember that your objectives are to protect what is yours and to expand your state.

231. Conspiracy and Disaffection

The sight of men whispering together in small knots or speaking in subdued tones (like they do at funerals) indicates disaffection.Conspiracy cannot be far behind.

230. Verbal Contracts

Peace proposals, offers, deals, telephone sales pitches etc., unaccompanied by sworn covenants or written contracts indicate a plot to do you down. A verbal contract or a man's word are not worth the paper they are written on. When undertaking to do work for someone, do not put a job in hand (order from your suppliers) unless you have secured a 50% deposit from them.

229. Signs of Strength

If your enemy is nearby and being quiet he is relying on the natural strength of his position. Do not attack him but draw him into a weaker position before finishing him off.

228.Faults to be Eliminated

Beware of the following faults and whenever you see them in yourself, work hard to eliminate them.
1. Recklessness which leads to Destruction.
2. Cowardice which leads to Capture.
3. A hasty Temper that can be provoked leading to Defeat and Slavery.
4. A delicacy of Honour which is sensitive to Shame.
5. Over-solicitude for others exposing you to worry and trouble.(Boundary issue).

Mark these well if you are to avoid destruction of your state (self).

227. Pick Your Battles

In life as in war, there are roads which must not be followed, armies and navies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be beseiged, positions which must not be contested or defended and some commands which must not be obeyed. Trust to your Reason to know which these are and cultivate your Reason.

226. Keep the Aim Clearly in View

Stay close to your goals and objectives. Remain at ease while your enemy struggles. Be well fed when they are starving. Do NOT attack an enemy that is more orderly than you.

225. Keep Calm and Carry On

Remain calm and disciplined at all times. Await the appearance of disorder in the ranks of the enemy before launching an attack.

225. The Philosophy of the Good Doctor

Never prescribe before you diagnose. Ponder all the facts before you take action. Have an objective clearly in mind and do not deviate from your path until you achieve it.

224. Training

When training, deliberately place yourself in weak positions from time to time, e.g. on the ground and learn to fight from them (Tiger) so that if you find yourself in one in real combat you may still win

223. Live your Life

"Do not waste time. You have a life to live - get on with it." - Monty Roberts.

Examine every choice that presents itself to you and ask "Is this going to help me live my life, or is it going to waste my time ?"

223. Abuse

Never take abuse, either verbal or emotional or physical or sexual from anyone, least of all an adult. Abusers of this type are trying to bend you to their will. People who behave that way toward you will often try to get you to keep quiet about it. Don't you do it. Report it loudly, strongly and every time it happens.

222. Here's a New Tube Station

221. A good template for a Mind Map

220. Warfare

Always seek to put yourself in a position that is beyond the possibility of defeat and then wait for the opportunity to defeat your enemy. He will provide the opportunity. If nothing happens offer the enemy a decoy opening in your defences and when he moves to exploit it, close your trap rapidly and destroy him utterly and without mercy.

Always know your enemy and know yourself.

Practice, practice, practice and again, practice for it is possible to know how to defeat the enemy without being able to actually do it.

When meeting, either for social, business or battle purposes, always arrive first at the field. You will then be fresh for the fight and the other will have to hasten and be exhausted. Arriving first helps you to detect any traps and ambushes prepared by the enemy. Arriving early is the temporal equivalent of taking the high ground. Impose your will on him.

Appear where you are unexpected.

Only attack places that are undefended.

Only hold positions that cannot be attacked.

Do not apply locks or seiges to your enemy for a long time. Once you have applied a painful lock, be satisfied with the pain you have caused and move on to your next technique before the opposition realises what you are doing.

Direct all your forces, strongly united, against a small fraction split off from the enemy main force and destroy it. Use the hard against the soft, the strong against the weak.

Seek to discover your enemy's plans. Use every method at your disposal, your own spies, their traitors, communications intercepts, tapped telephones opened post etc.

Avoid what is strong and attack what is weak.

219. Rapport

Most of us build rapport with others in a hit or miss fashion, finding ourselves being friends with a motley collection of people and often not being able to become friends with those we would like to be. By studying the techniques of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) you will begin to build rapport consciously. Learn to listen and to match and mirror the body language of others. A good place to start is by reading Manwatching by Desmond Morris. This book has been revised and re-issued as Peoplewatching.

218. Concessions

In negotiations, sales, arguments, conflicts etc., always build in to your opening position an amount or thing that you don't mind conceeding. Then cultivate the habit of being the first to give. This gives you the advantage. Decide in advance what you are willing to give and be generous but do not run at a loss. "Business without profit isn't business any more tan a pickle is candy."Charles Schwab, US Steel

217. When in Doubt...

When in doubt, do something. If you allow doubts to immobilise you, there will be little if anything achieved. By taking action, you mobilise the forces of the Universe which are there for your benefit.

216. Play to Your Strengths.

Always play to your own strengths while aquiring the strengths of others.

215. Communication

Keep working on your communication skills. Your wealth, power and happiness all increase in line with your ability to communicate. Take Creative Writing Classes, Technical Writing Classes, Public Speaking Classes. Join organisations like Toastmasters and BNI. Learn to speak well in public and to groups and practice the art as often as you can. Learn also to present yourself well physically through grooming and attire. This is so important that you should seek professional help and training in this area. Give yourself a Colour Me Beautiful consultation and take a short course in how to be a valet.

214. Victory !

Always celebrate a win and forget your losses. Start and maintain a Victory Log. Record in it all your achievements both minor and major. Regularly examine it to re-affirm your victories.

213. Train, Train, Train

Great performance comes from one thing, and one thing only - Training.

212. Big Dog

In business as in life, adopt the "Big Dog Strategy" - Do not waste your time hunting squirrels, instead, go after the 800 lb bear ! It will only take you one big deal to graduate to Big Dog Status and once that happens there is no going back.

211. Mastery

Try every day to master the correct use of a new tool, weapon or instrument. Once mastered, move on to the next one. Practice, patiently practice.

210.The Principles of Work.

These are the Principles of Work. You should keep a copy of them near you at all times or better still memorise them and bring them to mind whenever you have a task to do.

1. Attend to the working surface. (Let the mind rest at the point where the working surfaces meet.)

2. Trust the instrument to do the job.

3. The work is more important than our ideas about it.

4. Work until it is time to stop.


Then a ploughman said, "Speak to us of Work."
And he answered, saying:
You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth.
For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life's procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite.
When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music.
Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent, when all else sings together in unison?
Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune.
But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth's furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born,
And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life,
And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life's inmost secret.
But if you in your pain call birth an affliction and the support of the flesh a curse written upon your brow, then I answer that naught but the sweat of your brow shall wash away that which is written.
You have been told also life is darkness, and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary.
And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge,
And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge,
And all knowledge is vain save when there is work,
And all work is empty save when there is love;
And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God.
And what is it to work with love?
It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.
It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.
It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.
It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit,
And to know that all the blessed dead are standing about you and watching.
Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep, "he who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is a nobler than he who ploughs the soil.
And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man, is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet."
But I say, not in sleep but in the over-wakefulness of noontide, that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks than to the least of all the blades of grass;
And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own loving.
Work is love made visible.
And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.
For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man's hunger.
And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distils a poison in the wine.
And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man's ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.



- Khalil Gibran.

http://leb.net/~mira/works/prophet/prophet.html

209. Important Distinctions Regarding Knowledge

There is a process and an order to the collection and use of knowledge.
1. Data is collected.
2. Data is organised to become Information.
3. Information acted upon becomes Knowledge.
4. Knowledge tried and tested becomes Wisdom.
5. Wisdom applied practically becomes Power.

Power is defined as the ability to act. This is what is meant when people say "Knowledge is Power" though they rarely understand the process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF6ac747gaY 

208. The Study of Philosophy

Philosophy is defined as the love of Wisdom.

Let no-one be slow to seek Wisdom when he is young, nor weary in the search of it when he has grown old, for no age is too early or late for the benefits of Philosophy.

She (Wisdom) is more precious than rubies and all the things you can desire are not to be compared to her.

207. A List of Good Practices

Here is a list of good practices. You should take each one and attempt to establish it in your character. Take one a week and in six months you will be a different (better) person.

1. Succeed at home first.
2. Seek and merit divine help.
3. Never compromise with honesty.
4. Always remember the people involved.
5. Hear both sides before judging. *
6. Obtain the wise counsel of others.
7. Defend those who are absent.
8. Be sincere and decisive.
9. Develop a new proficiency every year.
10. Plan tomorrow's work today.
11. Hustle while you wait.
12. Maintain a positive attitude.
13. Maintain a sense of humour.
14. Be orderly in person and in work.
15. Do not fear mistakes. Fear only the absence of creative, constructive and corrective responses to your mistakes.
16. Facilitate the success of others.
17. Listen twice as much as you speak.
18. Concentrate all your abilities and effort on the task in hand.
19. Get organised and stay organised. Have a system for everything !
20. Always ask "What would the Wise do here ?"
21. Make everything as simple as possible but no simpler.
22. Keep practicing.
23. Stay close to your goals.
24. Meet adversity with composure.
25. Study every day.
26. Always keep your word.

206. Habits

"We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence then, is not an act but a habit." -Aristotle.

"Habits are like a cable. We weave a new strand every day and soon it cannot be broken. -Horace Mann.

"It is easier today to triumph over evil habits than it will be tomorrow." - Confucius.

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/horace_mann.html 

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/aristotle.html 

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/confucius.html 

205. Levels of Thinking

Here are two propositions you should consider carefully :

1. "The significant problems you face cannot be solved with the same level of thinking you were at when you created them." - Albert Einstein.

2. You cannot talk your way out of a situation that you behaved yourself into.

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1921/einstein-bio.html

204. Excellence and Right Living

"There is no real excellence in this world that can be separated from right living." - David Starr Jordan.

http://www25.uua.org/uuhs/duub/articles/davidstarrjordan.html

203. Self Belief

Believe in yourself and in your work. Build and maintain a good reputation

202. Support for Your Vision

Like Bill Gates, surround yourself with people of diverse talents who support your vision. Make them into your Mastermind Group. It is vital that your vision has support. Negativity has a very damaging effect on your morale and lack of support is not neutral, it is highly negative.

201. Ivan Misner's Game Plan

Ivan Misner is a master networker and founder of the worldwide business group called Business Network International (BNI). The philosophy on which this group is based is summed up in the two words "Givers Gain". This is a co-operative group and an excellent model for how you should treat other people. His Game Plan or strategy for networking is as follows :-

1. Remain Curious. Ask questions and listen to the answers. People love a good listener who is interested in what they do.

2.Learn from everybody. Talk to people at all levels because everyone can teach you something.

3. Cultivate contacts with people in power. They can bring you ideas, support and opportunities. Cultivate people who enjoy making money. Cultivate those whose hearts and interests are like your own.

4. Enjoy the journey

200. Superiority and True Nobility

There is nothing noble about being superior to some other person. True nobility lies in your being a superior person to your own former self. This is the practice of CANI or Kaizen. You must run your own race against yourself. It does not matter what other people say about you. What is important is what you say to yourself. You can do whatever you want to do so long as it is correct according to your conscience and your heart. Therefore you have a duty to keep your conscience informed and sharp and your heart open.

Never be ashamed of what is right. Decide what is right after appropriate study and stick to it.

Never get into the petty habit of measuring your self-worth against other people's. All such comparisons are odious. Every second you spend thinking about someone else's dreams is time taken away from your own. Always plough your own furrow and keep your nose out of other people's business.

199. Mental Gymnastics

Study well the book "The Mind Gym" by Octavius Black and Sebastian Bailey

198. Abundance, Lack of Limitation, Action

Be ever abundant, unlimited. The ancestor of every action is a thought. For that reason guard your thoughts well.

197. Growth and Beauty

Learn to be beauty always. Be ever expansive, always growing, intellectually emotionally and spiritually.

196. Co-operation

Love is co-operation rather than competition.

195. Judge Not...

Wisdom tells you not to judge that which you do not understand.

194. Design Your Curriculum

When it comes to learning, a meaningful curriculum should be consistent and coherent (use joined-up thinking when designing it). If, for example, you are going for a scientific career like medicine etc., whatever other subjects you take, make sure that you take all the scientific ones as well as mathematics. A conflicted curriculum leads tio fragmentation of your learning while a coherent one leads to uniity of education. You should always balance science with the humanities (at least 25%.)

193. Inevitability

The word "inevitable" is fearful to the ego but joyous to the Spirit. Do not invest yourself in fear. Teach only Love for that is what you are. You teach by what you do.

192. Teaching and Teachers

This is a still from the film  If....(1968) Macolm Mc Dowell and Christine Noonan

Good teachers never terrorise their students. To terroise is to attack and this results in the rejection of what the teacher has to offer. The effect is learning failure. When a teacher terrorises he has already stopped caring for his student and when this happens the student stops listening to him. The expression "What you are and do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you are saying." was created to describe this situation. The film If... is a very good illustration of this principle and it is one of my favourites.

191. The Law of Cause and Effect

The most fundamental law there is is the Law of Cause and Effect. Sir Isaac Newton described it in his Second Law of Motion when he said that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The Laws of Karma work the same way. Karma is sometimes instant as when you are training in the Martial Arts - Theow a punch and your training partner throws you ! More usually, though Karma takes longer to work out. It may be days,weeks, years or even whole lifetimes before the effects of your actions come back to you but they do come back.

The technical description of this law in action is that the action done here and now enters your kryamaan, your future sanskara. When you are born you come into the world with this sanskara which is made up of sanchit - everything you need for the lifetime and prarabda - the circumstances into which you ar born which are best suited for the working out of your sanskara. The sanchit interacts with the prarabda and produces each event that befalls you. This is all utterly mechanical and in the absence of your conscious decisions would just play out mechanically. You have the ability to choose your response to any and all situations. By acting to simply meet the need, you will eliminate your past sanskara and prevent the creation of future sanskara, thus freeing yourself from the cycle of birth and death.

190. Giving

A touch of fragrence always clins to the hand of the one who gives the rose. Nothing goes unnoticed in the Creation.

189. Fear

The correction of fear is your responsibility. I am here only to be truly helpful and to represent Him who sent me.

188. Booklist #1.

When you go into a person's study or library, you can immediately tell a great deal about them by looking at what books they have on their shelves. When you know about someone and want to emulate them, a list of their books can help you to embody their philosophy. Here is Warren Buffett's list of recommended reading :

* 1989 — Essays in Persuasion by John Maynard Keynes
* 1992 — The Theory of Investment Value by John Burr Williams
* 1994 — The Intelligent Investor: A Book of Practical Counsel by Benjamin Graham
* 1994 — The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money (Great Minds Series) by John Maynard Keynes (in OID)
* 1994 — The People V. Clarence Darrow : The Bribery Trial of America’s Greatest Lawyer by Geoffrey Cowan (in OID)
* 1995 — A Piece of the Action: How the Middle Class Joined the Money Class by Joseph Nocera (in OID)
* 1996 — The Money Masters by John Train
* 1996 — Paths to wealth through common stocks by Philip Fisher (in OID)
* 1997 — The Science of Hitting by Ted Williams
* 1997 — Only the Paranoid Survive : How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company by Andrew S. Grove (in OID)
* 1998 — The Expanded Quotable Einstein by Albert Einstein
* 2000 — The Farmer From Merna by Karl Schriftgeisser
* 2000 — Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits by Philip Fisher
* 2000 — The Essays of Warren Buffett : Lessons for Corporate America by Lawrence A. Cunningham
* 2001 — The Warren Buffett CEO by Robert P Miles
* 2001 — Security Analysis by Ben Graham and Dave Dodd
* 2001 — Personal History by Katharine Graham
* 2002 — Take on the Street: What Wall Street and Corporate America Don’t Want You to Know. What you can do to fight back by Arthur Levitt
* 2003 — First a Dream by Jim Clayton
* 2003 — Bull! by Maggie Mahar
* 2003 — The Smartest Guys in the Room by Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind
* 2003 — In an Uncertain World by Bob Rubin
* 2003 — The Intelligent Investor — 2003 Revised Edition by Jason Zweig
* 2003 — Sam Walton: Made In America by Sam Walton
* 2003 — Bull! : A History of the Boom, 1982-1999: What drove the Breakneck Market–and What Every Investor Needs to Know About Financial Cycles by Maggie Mahar
* 2003 — Science of Hitting by Ted Williams and John Underwood
* 2004 — The Intelligent Investor
* 2004 — The Financial Times, Amercian Edition Newspaper
* 2004 — The General Theory by John Maynard Keynes
* 2004 — A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
* 2004 — Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger by Charles T. Munger
* 2004 — Nuclear Terrorism: The Ultimate Preventable Catastrophe by Graham Allison
* 2005 — F.I.A.S.C.O.: Blood In The Water On Wall Street by Frank Partnoy
* 2005 — Travels with Barley: A Journey Through Beer Culture in America by Ken Wells
* 2006 — Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger (Thrid Edition) by Peter Bevelin
* 2007 — Where Are the Customers’ Yachts? or A Good Hard Look at Wall Street by Fred Schwed, Jr
* 2007 — Supermoney [Edition with a new foreword by John Bogle and a preface by Adam Smith (aka George J. W. Goodman)] by Adam Smith
* 2007 — The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream by Barack Obama
* 2007 — Warren Buffett: An Illustrated Biography of the World’s Most Successful Investor by Ayano Morio
* 2008 — The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America, edited by Lawrence Cunningham
* 2008 — The Warren Buffett CEO: Secrets From the Berkshire Hathaway Managers, by Robert Miles
* 2008 — Foods You Will Enjoy — The Story of Buffett’s Store, by Bill Buffett
* 2008 — Pleased, but Not Satisfied by David Sokol (Note: WEB did not recommend specifically at the AGM the new book by David Sokol, but he has written its foreword!)

Books Recommended by Warren Buffett (Years Unkown):

* Benjamin Graham on Value Investing: Lessons from the Dean of Wall Street by Janet Lowe
* Do Business with People You Can Trust: Balancing Profits and Principles by L. J. Rittenhouse
* John Bogle on Investing: The First 50 Years by John C. Bogle
* Common Sense on Mutual Funds: New Imperatives for the Intelligent Investor by John C. Bogle
* The Real Warren Buffett: Managing Capital, Leading People by James O’Loughlin
* Of Permanent Value: The Story of Warren Buffett/2007 International Edition/in 2 volumes by Andrew Kilparrick
* Will America Grow up Before it Grows Old : How the Coming Social Security Crisis Threatens You, Your Family and Your Country by Peter G. Peterson (Source: Of Permanent Value, Literary Edition page 197)
* Father, Son & Co : My Life at IBM and Beyond by Thomas, Jr. Watson
* Memos from the Chairman by Alan “Ace” C. Greenberg
* Jack Welch Speaks: Wisdom from the World’s Greatest Business Leader by Janet Lowe
* Quality Financial Reporting by Paul B. W. Miller & Paul R. Bahnson
* Jack: Straight from the Gut by Jack Welch
* Epidemic of Care : A Call for Safer, Better, and More Accountable Health Care by George C. Halvorson
* Running On Empty: How The Democratic and Republican Parties Are Bankrupting Our Future and What Americans Can Do About It” by Peter G. Peterson
* The Man Behind the Microchip: Robert Noyce and the Invention of Silicon Valley by Leslie Berlin
* Speculative Contagion: An Antidote for Speculative Epidemics by Frank Martin
* The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns (Little Book Big Profits) by John C. Bogle

187. The Right Thing to Do

"To know the right thing to do and to fail to act is cowardice." - Confucius

A perfect example of this is the story of the King's Bargain - A king in India decided that he would pass a law that everyone selling goods in the market should have all their produce sold and if it didn't sell he would buy it all. Some criminals decided to gather up all the rubbish and claim that this was their produce. When the market closed they offered it to the king's officers who told them to go away but they insisted that the king had given his word. The officers told the story to the king who thought about it and said. "Yes I have given my word. Pay these men for their produce." This went on day after day and soon the palace filled up with the rubbish from the market. His wife couldn't stand it any more and she left him. One by one his staff left him until the king was left alone in the rubbish-filled palace. Finally Self said "I am leaving you too." To which the king said "No you cannot leave. I have given my word and I have kept to it even though I knew what would happen." Self then replied "You are right, I cannot leave for you have kept your word." Self stayed. One by one his staff returned and finally, his wife came back because they all admired the man who had been brave enough to keep his word.

186. Offshore

Consider moving your domicile (official country of residence) to the Channel Islands - Gurnsey or Sark for instance, as the Tax implications are favourable. Sark has a 0% Income Tax rate while Gurnsey is 20%. Do your own research to check out the feasability of such a move. There is a good ferry service and Gurnsey has an international airport. (From the Financial Times)

185. The Formula for Compound Interest

When considering investments, consider the power of compounding. Compound interest is where the interest you have earned is added to the investment and it itself generates more interest : The formula is as follows :

A = P(1 + r/q)nq

The nq outside the brackets above does not mean "multiplied by nq" but "to the power of nq".

P is the principal (the money you start with, your first deposit)

r is the annual rate of interest as a decimal (5% means r = 0.05)

n is the number of years you leave it on deposit

A is how much money you've accumulated after n years, including interest.

If the interest is compounded once a year:

A = P(1 + r)n

If the interest is compounded q times a year:

A = P(1 + r/q)nq


As a good exercise you should work out dozens of examples comparing the returns when interest is compounded and when it is just simple interest (SI = PRT/100).

Formula for the present value (discounted value) of a future amount

P = the present value of amount A, due n years from now

r = the rate of interest

For example, someone contracts to pay you $100,000 in ten years. What's that worth right now, if they changed their mind and decided to paid you upfront? Say the interest rate is 5%.

At simple interest:

P = A/(1 + nr)

If A = 100,000 and n = 10 and r = 0.05 (which is to say, 5%), then

P = 100,000/(1 + 10x0.05) = 100,000/1.5 = 66,667

At interest compounded annually:

P = A/(1 + r)n

Using the same example as for simple interest, this gives

P = 100,000/(1 + .05)10 = 100,000/1.62889 = 61,391

At interest compounded q times a year:

P = A/(1 + r/q)nq

Or in the same example but compounding monthly (q = 12)

P = 100,000/(1 + 0.05/12)120 = 100,000/1.64701 = 60716

184. Thomas Edison and Lightbulb

182. Richard Feynman Magnets

183. Means and Ends

To reach the ends, the means are needed. "Take care of the means and the ends will look after themselves." - Sri Ramakrishna

The price must be paid and the process followed. You reap what you sow and there is no shortcut.

http://www.ramakrishna.org/rmk.htm

181. Richard Feynman :: Inertia and Fathers

180. Richard Feynman on doubt,uncertainty and religion

179. Fantasies

Fantasies are distorted forms of vision. They are always distorted because they involve the twisting of perception into unreality. Actions that stem from such distortions are the reactions of those who "know not what they do."

Such fantasies are unhealthy and lead to self-delusion.
It is important to distinguish between unhealthy fantasy and Imagination and Creativity; these, of course, lead to a better life.

178. Why were we created ?

We were created in order to create the Good, the Beautiful and the Whole (Holy).

177. Love, Fear and Miracles

"Perfect Love casts out fear.
If fear exists, then there is not perfect Love.
But only perfect Love exists.
If there is fear, it produces a state that does not exist.
All aspects of fear are untrue because they do not exist at the creative level.
Therefore they do not exist at all.
Know this to be true and you will be free. - The Course in Miracles


The Course in Miracles is published by the Foundation for Inner Peace

176. Weapons Training

It is generally better order to train with your longest range weapons first in order to keep your enemy as far from you as possible. Once your long-range weapons have been mastered, move on to those that operate at closer range until you are training with dagger and empty hand. In Silat, of course we train mostly for close quarter combat.

175. The Great Time Management Myth

You cannot manage Time.
Time moves on inexorably.
You cannot add to it or subtract from it.
You cannot make tomorrow happen before today.
You cannot save Time up.
You can, however, manage what you do in Time. In one day there are 86,400 seconds. Treat each one as if it were a €1 coin.
Remembering that you cannot save it up, ask the questions "How will I invest my time, how will I spend it ?

174. Laws and Religion

The benefits of new laws that a wise man can see but that are not explicable to the reasoning of others can be put over by having recourse to religion.

173. Religion and Arms

"Where there is religion, it is easy to teach men to use arms. Where there are arms and no religion, it is hard to teach religion." -Nicolo Machiavelli.

It is always easier to train an army than to run a moastery; this is because monks are trained to think in a very subtle way, whereas soldiers think in black or white terms.

172. Laws and Oaths

"People are more generally afraid of breaking an oath than a law." -Nicolo Machiavelli.

This was certainly true in the times when Religion ruled everything, but don't rely on it today. People are not concerned so much these days with their honour as with their freedom. Law enforcement is getting tougher and generally people will obey the law when they are compelled to.

171. Keep Your Own Counsel

The only things people can know about you are those things that you choose to reveal. Only let people know those things about your business that are necessary for them to help you. Work on a "Need to Know Basis". There is a fashion for "sharing" everything with everyone. This is foolish and it drains your energy.

170. Know the Facts, See the Potential

In any situation, make sure you know all the facts. Be like the sculptor and see the possibilities contained in the facts. The sculptor sees the potential while others see only the reality.

169. Strengthen Your Mind

Strengthen and sharpen your mind by using meditation mnenomics, mind maps, IQ tests, puzzles, word games, crosswords, mental arithmetic etc. You should do this without let up because : "The Strong Take from the Weak and The Smart Take from the Strong".

168. Credit Cards

Beware of Credit Cards. If you owe €2,000 on your card and the interest rate is 19.5% and you only pay the minimum amount, it will take you 41 years to pay it off ! Credit cards are unsecured and the most expensive product a bank will sell you. More expensive still are store cards, their interest rate is 29%, minimum.

Only ever use a credit card as a payment mechanism rather than a method of borrowing. This means that you should use your card when out and about but make sure that you pay it off in full and on time within the month. This eliminates or minimises the interest charge and avoids the late payment fee.

Never pay Payment Protection Insurance on your card. THIS IS A SCAM. PPI raises the effective interest by 7% and it only pays out the minimum payment - NOT THE FULL BALANCE and then only covers you for 1 year. In addition, the charges are added each month to your credit card balance, increasing the principal.

Credit cards are a very dangerous weapon used by the system against you. They are designed to keep you poor. If you must have one be very careful how much you spend on it and do try to have a 0% one. Beware of these too, as the interest-free period expires after 6 or 9 months.

Even better than a credit card, have an American Express or Diners Club catd. These are charge cards and must be cleated in full every month.

A debit card (laser) is even better because it only allows you to access funds that you already have. With these, there is no element of borrowing unless you use it to run up your overdraft.

Generally speaking, credit cards are extremely dangerous brcause they are the fastest way into big, big debt. You should treat them as you would a loaded gun or a fully primed Mills bomb.

167. Stick to the Truth

Stick to the truth. The Human Mind is a truth-seeking mechanism. Do not distort Reality and you will not go wrong. You will have integrity and unity. Your mind will be sane, calm and healthy.

166. Setting Boundaries

When you set boundaries, you keep other people's problems out of your life.This is being responsible and happy rather than being responsible and miserable.Taking responsibility does not automatically lead to misery. By setting your boundaries you are taking responsibility for yourself and teaching others to do the same for themselves.

In the spiritual world, your boundaries are always real but often intangible. They can increase your love and save your life. Such boundaries define your soul and help you to guard and maintain it.

Know your boundaries. Define what is me and what is not me. Know what things you take responsibility for and what things you don't. This gives you freedom and opens up more options for you, more choices.

Learn your parameters (boundaries) and keep them clear in your mind. Do not become confused. Write them down. Remember that you are not responsible for other people. You do not control THEIR behaviour and it is a waste of energy to seek to do so.

"Cast not your pearls before swine." Boundaries keep your pearls inside and the pigs outside. Boundaries guard your heart and your treasures. Your boundaries should have "gates" in them in order to let in the good and let out the bad. You should consciously control the traffic through these gates.

Basic boundary maintenance requires that you clear about your Yes and your No. No is the most powerful tool in your boundary building chest.
No is confrontational.
No sets limits.
No prevents abuse.
No is powerful.
No is used in self-defense,

When asked, do not give reluctantly or under compulsion. Give generously with an open heart or do not give at all.

Your words let people know where you stand. If you do not like the way you are being treated, look at the words you are using. People will treat you the way you teach them to treat you.

165. Responsibility

Take responsibility. You must always take 100% responsibility for yourself, your actions, decisions, failures etc. You are not responsible for other (adult) people. In any relationship you are 50% responsible. You must live up to your half always. This is what it means to take ownership of your life.

"To do the duty of another is fraught with danger." -The Bhagavad Gita. When you take on the responsibility of the work of another you are on the road to burn-out. You are training the other to shirk his obligations and you are leaving yourself open to attack and lawsuits if something were to go wrong. Mind your own business !

Being responsible has two faces :
1. You are responsible FOR yourself.
2. You are responsible TO others.

Being responsible for yourself means dealing with your feelings, attitudes and behaviours so that they become ever more supportive of your needs and your obligations. Know where the limits are.

Being responsible to others means helping them to do what they cannot do for themselves and ensuring that you treat them with absolute fairness.

If you take on large burdens and try to do it all by yourself, as if this were a part of your normal load then you will be crushed by the burden. Then you will be of no use to yourself or to anyone else. (Irresponsible).

If you act as though your normal duties and responsibilities were someone else's duty, then you are being irresponsible in the other direction.

The penalty for being irresponsible is that you do not have any control of the consequences and you might very well not like how things turn out.

Being responsible does not mean that everything that goes wrong for you is your fault. Responsibility is defined as the ability to respond. You are responsible for how you respond i.e. what your next action will be and for how you interpret the experience but not necessarily the cause of the experience itself.

If you attribute the causes of bad things to yourself your energy drops and the effect on you is Negative. If you externalise it, your energy rises and the effect on you is Positive.

Warning : Others will often try to get you to attribute blame to yourself in an attempt to externalise their responsibilities. This is called laying a guilt trip on you.

Rejections etc., are specific occurances and you shouldn't interpret them as having any long lasting or global significance. The past does not equal the future and if you have done your best (be honest here), then they are not your fault.

The ability to respond means the ability to speak and act effectively and intelligently and not simply react in a knee-jerk fashion.

164. Being Nice & Being Polite.

Being nice out of fear doesn't work, ever. Be nice and be polite because that's who you are and only for that reason. A common thing to happen is that people of a lower order of development often mistake your good manners for weakness and then try to take advantage of you. The first line of your defense is to be aware of this phenomenon and be alert for the signs that you are about to be taken advantage of. The second line is to be polite but firm. The third is to state your position bluntly, without grace or favour and be willing to fight for your rights. Very often you will need to let people know that you are not to be trifled with by using such expressions as "Do you think I should have my solicitor present ?" or "I am not sure who's right here perhaps we should call the police don't you think ?" Always refer these matters to the next level up.

163. Try Smarter

Trying harder doesn't always work. Sometimes you just have to try smarter.

162. Survival

"Survival is important because to survive is the ability to start again." - Winston Churchill
While it is important to survive, don't settle for mere survival. Work on designing your life, not simply making a living. Basic study of the Martial Arts will enable you to survive but dedicated study will make you a warrior.

162. Politics are a Foul Business

Winston Churchill once said "Politics are foul - too foul for words." Yet that is where he made his career. This just shows the strength of his character. He was able to work in a foul environment because he knew he was doing good work.

161. The Measure of Your Strength

The venom of a man's enemies is a measure of his own strength. - Winston Churchill

160. Good Company

It is useless having a mind like a machine-gun without having ammunition to put in it - Winston Churchill.

It is vitally important that you feed your mind with fine material (ammunition). This is keeping the mind in Good Company. Good company for the mind is that which elevates your mind to higher ideals than the mere mundane. It includes such diverse sources of inspiration as the music of Mozart, the writings of Marsilio Ficino, Shakespeare, Schiller, Goethe, Descartes, Voltaire and other philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Marcus Aurelius etc. as well as the paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci. Good Company means being in the presence of those who meditate and who are otherwise saintly. It means reading scripture an vedas. It alsomeans working with like-minded people on projects for the greater good of mankind.

159. Practicality

Without execution, thinking is mere idleness. - Winston Churchill.

If you have thought out a plan of action, the next step is to write it down. Making written notes of your plans, poems ideas etc., is creating a physical bridge between your mental world (the intangible) and the physical world (the tangible). This is the first stage in realisation (the making real) of your plans and goals.

The advantages in this are :

1. It makes your ideas visible.

2. It provides a written record.

3. It can protect your copyright (intellectual property).

4. It gives a standard against which you can measure your progress.

5. It helps you to remember what you have created.