I’ve got 5 tasty treats for you this week. Whether you dig’em or diss’em, please let me know what you think via twitter at @jamiesmartcom, on my Facebook page here, or in the comment section. At the end, I’ll tell you how you can get one of your #enthusiasms featured in a future edition.
1) A quote I love
This week’s quote comes from Helen Keller:
“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”
2) A story that will blow your mind
When I’m teaching people about the principles behind clarity, and explaining that our feelings are a reflection of Thought in the moment, they sometimes say something like this… “Well that’s all well and good on a day-to-day basis, but how does it work in serious situations?” During the first weekend of the Clarity Coach Training Programme, I had the opportunity to interview Mahima Shrestha about this very question in regard to one of the most terrifying ordeals anyone can imagine going through; the devastating NEPAL EARTHQUAKE. Her response to that ordeal has to be heard to be believed… Mahima is being sponsored by the World Clarity Project to take part in the Clarity Coach Training Programme so she can share these principles with people in her community. Once you’ve watched the amazing video of her response to the earthquake here, please take a moment to hit Like on the #WorldClarity page and find out more about what we’re up to.
3) Gear I love using
My Captains of Crush hand-grippers don’t just give you a strong grip – they also help you develop your radial strength. If you want a sense of what I mean by “radial strength”, clench your fists and notice what happens in your arm muscles. This comes in handy when you’re weightlifting and want to squeeze out an extra couple of reps.
4) An album I loved from the moment I heard it
I can still feel the exhilaration I felt when I put the needle on King Crimson’s new record, Discipline, back in 1981. I’d never heard anything like it; I was hooked from the very first track. Chances are this WON’T be your cup of tea, but just in case it is… check out Adrian Belew and Robert Fripp on guitar, Bill Bruford on drums and Tony Levin on the Chapman Stick (reputedly one of the world’s most challenging instruments) as they play Elephant Talk live on Fridays, a 1980s TV show. Still as amazing as ever…
5) A book I loved, gave away to a friend and have just re-purchased
Jack Donovan’s book, The Way of Men is the best book about men, manhood and masculinity I’ve read in over a decade. I was so struck by it as I read it that I was highlighting passages and texting photos of them to my mates. Not only does he make a new and unique contribution to the discussion of what it means to be a man in the 21st century, but Donovan’s book is a masterclass in great writing; compelling, free from cliche and stripped to the essentials. If you want to get a feel for where he’s coming from, check out this interview he did with my buddy TJ earlier this year.
That’s it for another week. 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