I’ve got 5 belters for you this week. Whether you love’em or loathe’em, please let me know what you think via twitter at @jamiesmartcom or in the comments section. At the end, I’ll tell you how you can get one of your #enthusiasm featured in a future article.
1) A podcast that blows my box
When I was in high school, I slept through history class. I found it SO boring and irrelevant. These days I’m fascinated by history, and Dan Carlin is the best history teacher you never had on his utterly engaging Hardcore History podcast. You can listen to about a dozen episodes for free, and I warn you – this stuff is addictive. The first one I listened to was Prophets of Doom which weighs in at a daunting 4.5 hours, but I loved every grisly minute of it.
2) A “personality test” I get a lot of value from
I first took Kathy Kolbe’s A-Index test about 10 year s ago and it was a revelation. It revealed why I struggled to do many things in the way I’d learned I was “supposed to”, and somehow gave me the freedom and permission to play to my strengths. Discovering your “conative strengths” can be incredibly liberating and empowering.
3) Some videos I watch over and over
I’ve watched and listened to The Long Beach Lectures by Sydney Banks hundreds of times (literally). I highly recommend all his videos and audios. They may sound abstract, confusing or “out there” at times, but what Syd is pointing to is the essence of the principles behind clarity. You might want to listen to them like you listen to music – to enjoy it rather than to analyse it! Here are all four of the lectures available to play online for free…
Lecture 1 – The Great Illusion
Lecture 4 – Jumping The Boundaries of Time
4) A book that transformed my relationship to money
My friend Nick told me in 1999 that wealth is 80% psychology and 20% what you do. Nick recommended a book by Robert Kiyosaki called Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the rich teach their kids about money that the poor and middle-class do not. I learned so many valuable lessons from this book and it’s sequel, The Cashflow Quadrant. Both highly recommended!
5) One of my favourite comedians of all time
Stewart Lee is one of the most amazing standup comedians I’ve ever seen. He’s the creator of the controversial “Jerry Springer: The Opera” which sparked protests by religious groups, and is constantly playing with the audience’s boundaries. A masterclass in calibration and delivery, here’s Stewart on Political Correctness.
And we’re done. If you have questions, suggestions or want to let me know what you’re enthusiastic about, just tweet one of yours and put my twitter name @jamiesmartcom and the #Enthusiasms hashtag in there so I can find it. If I’m enthusiastic about something you’re enthusiastic about, it might just get featured in a future TTE.
Big love
Jamie