Who Will Cry When You Die?

Who Will Cry When You Die?

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Who Will Cry When You Die?

Life Lessons from The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

By Robin Sharma

I recently read a great book called Who Will Cry When You Die? Life Lessons from The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma.

By the way, I would like to thank my neighbour Jayne for dropping it in my mailbox. She thought it would be something that I could include in my blogs and keynotes and boy, was she right!

Robin Sharma is probably better known for his bestseller; The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari but this addition to the series is also full of great takeaways.

Sharma is one of the world’s leading experts on leadership, elite performance and self-mastery. He’s also Canadian! Yay, eh? He used to be a litigation lawyer. Now he is a popular author and motivational speaker.

The first thing that I will say about Who Will Cry When You Die is the way that the book is laid out.

The chapters are super short, 2-4 pages each.

The chapters fit on four pages. The table of contents fit on five pages. You can flip through them and see what chapters you want to read. The chapters aren’t dependent on each other.

It’s a small book that you can have on your nightstand and refer to on a regular basis.

On so many levels this book is easy. Its full of small, bite sized pieces of wisdom that you can really sink your teeth and mind into. Yes, you may have heard a lot of this advice before but I guarantee you that there are at least, a few things in this book that you haven’t heard.

The titles of the chapters are enticing and just knowing that the chapters are so short is also enticing.

Titles like: Discover Your Calling, Practice Tough Love, Bless Your Money, Remember The Rule of 21 and two of my favourites, Schedule Worry Breaks and Cure Your Monkey Mind.

Schedule Worry Breaks (Chapter 12) tells a beautiful story that Sharma’s father told him.

Sharma says his father was a very wise man who had a lot of influence over his life.

One day he told Sharma that the Sanskrit character for a funeral pyre is strikingly similar to the Sanskrit character for worry. He said that’s because One burns the dead while the other burns the living.

Woah, hello….mic drop! I think I fell off of my chair when I read that.

Also, chapter 40 entitled Cure Your Monkey Mind was a great read and contains a very practical exercise.

It describes the problem that most of our minds suffer from that is jumping from task to task.

As Sharma says, “It’s like unchained monkeys, rushing from place to place without any pause for peace.”

Sharma calls the exercise to fix this ‘focussed reading’. He says every time your mind wanders from the page that you are reading make a checkmark in the right-hand margin of the page. He says that by doing this, you will increase your awareness of how well or how poorly you concentrate. Once you become aware of how much your mind strays, you can then build the skills you need for a quieter mind.

I tried the exercise while I was reading the chapter and indeed, it calmed my ‘monkey brain’ but for some reason, I can’t stop eating bananas.

So now, what about that title, Who Will Cry When You Die?

Sharma addresses this question in Chapter 101, Live Fully So You Can Die Happy.

Sharma says that too many people live their lives backwards. He says that they spend their days striving to get the things that will make them happy instead of realizing that happiness is not a place that you reach but a state that you create.

He says that one of the ways to create this happiness is to commit yourself to making a difference in other people’s lives. To give back – from the beginning. The purpose of life is a life of purpose.

Sharma ends Who Will Cry When You Die with a beautiful quote. Here is part of it.  

This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose, recognized by yourself as a mighty one, being a true force of Nature instead of a feverish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and, as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.

~ George Bernard Shaw

While there is still time, I would like to say thank you to writers George Bernard Shaw and Robin Sharma for reminding me of this incredibly important lesson.

If you would like to catch up on any of my other Laugh Long and Prosper episodes, voted one of the best podcasts of 2021 in Canada by CTV, check me out.

Until next time folks, Laugh Long and Prosper!

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101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think Part Two

101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think Part Two

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I want to continue covering a shelf help book that is I mentioned in last month’s blog.
It’s called
101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think, by Brianna Wiest. 

This book is getting a lot of traction. Not every chapter might grab you but personally, I think there is enough stuff in here to peak a lot of people’s interest. Also, I’ve certainly heard some of the messages in this book echoed before by other authors, but sometimes a takeaway can be worded a little differently in order to resonate.

My last blog mentioned some of my favorite chapters from the book including;

Chapter 1: Subconscious Behaviors That Are Keeping You from Having the Life You Want.

Chapter 14: Expectations You Must Let Go of In Your 20s.

Chapter 15: Read This If You Don’t Know What You Are Doing with Your Life.

For this month’s blog, I would like to review another stand out chapter – Chapter 2: The Psychology of Daily Routine.

Now, anybody who knows me knows that I LOVE routine. I don’t know how I would have survived all these years without my daily habits, especially during Covid.
I’m also in a business that does not have a 9-5 structure. So, for me, a semblance of routine not only helps to keep the squirrels out of my head but over the years, it has turned me into a mentally, physically, emotionally and financially happy person.

Needless to say, I could really relate to this chapter. I hope it speaks to you, as well.
Here are seven of my favorite quotes from The Psychology of Daily Routine:

#1
The most successful people in history—the ones many refer to as “geniuses” in their fields, masters of their crafts—had one thing in common, other than talent: Most adhered to rigid (and specific) routines.

#2
As children, routine gives us a feeling of safety. As adults, it gives us the feeling of purpose.

#3
Get a plan, because plans fix problems. Mentally strong people are planners. They think ahead. They prepare. They do what’s best for the long-term outcome. You might think that this disconnects them from the moment, but the opposite is true. Worrying disconnects you from the moment. Overthinking disconnects you from the moment. When you are consistently sidelined from your own anxiety, it’s because you don’t have a plan regarding the thing that’s making you scared.

#4
If you want to change your life, you need to make tiny, nearly undetectable decisions every hour of every day until those choices are habituated.

#5
As your body self-regulates, routine becomes the pathway to flow.

#6
Instead of perfection, focus on progress. Instead of having something done perfectly, focus on just getting it done. From there, you can edit, build, grow, and develop it to exactly what your vision is. But if you don’t get started, you’ll never arrive.

#7
Lack of routine is just a breeding ground for perpetual procrastination.

‘Perpetual procrastination’! Isn’t that the truth??? The funny thing is, as I write this review, I’m actually procrastinating about working on my taxes! So, I better get back to them. However, as I’ve stated before, 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think by Brianna Weist is a wonderful read! The short, bullet point -style chapters are not everyone’s cup of tea but of course, being a routine-get-to-the-point person, I love that. I hope that you give it a read.

By the way, if you would like to catch this particular podcast or any of my other Laugh Long and Prosper episodes, voted by CTV as one of the best podcasts of 2021 in Canada, check out ‘Judy Croon’ on most of your streaming sources.

Until next time folks, Laugh Long and Prosper!

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101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think, by Brianna Wiest

101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think, by Brianna Wiest

Don’t be shy. You can check out my Laugh Long and Prosper podcast on Spotify or Soundcloud.

This blog and podcast is sponsored by: Linda McEwan at Sotheby’s International Realty Canada

The number one most trusted brand in residential real estate.

Go to lmcewan@sothebysrealty.ca

Recently, I read a book that is getting a lot of traction. It’s called 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think, by Brianna Wiest. 

If the title itself doesn’t sound enticing enough, check out the titles of some of the chapters.

I challenge you -how can you not turn the page?

Chapter 1: Subconscious Behaviors That Are Keeping You from Having the Life You Want. 

What??? Where has this been all my life?

Chapter 14: Expectations You Must Let Go of In Your 20s.

 Wow, I can’t wait until I turn twenty to read this chapter!

Chapter 15: Read This If You Don’t Know What You Are Doing with Your Life.

Honestly, do they have a camera in my house?

Chapter 21: 102 Ways to Not Let Irrational Thoughts Ruin Your Life.

Only 102? What do I do about the other eight thousand thoughts in my head?

Chapter 28: Questions That Will Show You Who You Are and What You’re Meant to Do.

Finally, someone gets it! That I am meant to be a supermodel. Okay, a Buffalo supermodel but still!

Chapter 49: How To (Actually) Change Your Life This Year.

Oh, good. I still have a lot of time left because, you know, I’m only twenty years-old. 

Anyway, as the title of the book suggests, there are one hundred and one chapters. 

A quick side note though.  Not all of the chapters are written in a typical essay format. Many chapters are written using a bullet style format. Personally, I like this because I have the attention span of a goldfish or worse, Donald Trump. 

By the way, the chapters are not meant to be read in any particular order. That means you can jump back and forth or read whatever speaks to you on a particular day. 

Regarding content, not every chapter might grab you but personally, I think there is enough stuff in here to peak a lot of people’s interest.  Also, I’ve certainly heard some of the messages in this book echoed before by other authors, but sometimes a takeaway can be worded a little differently in order to resonate. 

So, here is a sampling of my favourite takeaways:

More is not better. Happiness is not experiencing something else; it’s continually experiencing what you already have in new and different ways.’ (p. 18)

The fact is the way to change your life is to change the way you think, and the way to change the way you think is to change what you read. (p. 74)

You cannot be whatever you want, but if you work hard and don’t give up and happen to be born to circumstances that facilitate it, you can maybe do something that crosses your abilities with your interests. And if you’re really smart, you’ll figure out how to be grateful for it, even on the difficult days. (p. 78)

The author also has some fun chapter topics. 

For example, Experiences We Don’t Have English Words for Yet.

Wiest goes on to describe those experiences. 

“What is the word or words forThe frustration you feel when somebody is mad or upset over completely false things that they’ve made up in their mind, a complete lack of understanding on a situation?’”

Okay, I would like to interject here Brianna Wiest. I’ve got this one. It’s called Tuesday!

All joking aside, I found 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think an uplifting combination of ideas, philosophies and life hacks. 

I really enjoyed reading it. It’s one of those dog-eared books that I think I will have for a long time.

The title is very catchy and the chapters are even catchier.

It’s like the movie The Godfather – just as you try to put the book down, it pulls you back in!

But isn’t that what a good book is supposed to do?

I would like to leave you with two last feel-good quotes from Wiest that fall along the lines of the Golden Rule. Quite frankly, I don’t think we can be reminded enough. 

“How you treat others is how you will be remembered.”

Start appreciating how rare and beautiful it is to even just have one close friend in life. Not everybody is so lucky.”

Well said, Brianna. 

If you like to catch on this particular podcast on any of my other Laugh Long and Prosper episodes, voted by CTV as one of the best podcasts of 2021 in Canada, check me out!  Judy Croon on most of your streaming sources. 

Until next time, Laugh Long and Prosper!

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Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think

Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think

Don’t be shy. You can check out my Laugh Long and Prosper podcast on Spotify or Soundcloud.

I read a book recently that made me feel just a little bit more peaceful or mindful, shall we say. 

The book is called Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think, by Peter H. Diamandis. 

In a nutshell, this book gave me hope that the world is not going to hell in a hand basket.

In fact, quite the opposite is happening. 

Unfortunately, fear sells. 

I blame a lot of this one of my old radio occupations – the news. 

We tend to live in a world where a lot of bad news is reported every day.  

Yes, bad things are happening all the time and it’s sad, but is there an ulterior motive behind some of those headlines? Let’s face it, bad news sells. There is a reason why Fox made two billion dollars last year. 

As Bill Gates once said, “No one wants to hear small incremental good news.” 

However, there IS small, incremental good news happening every day. Lots of good people are continuously doing good things on a local and international level. 

Factfulness and Humankind 

Two of my favourite books are Factfulness:Ten Reasons Why We’re Wrong About the World and Why Things Are Better Than You Think  and Humankind: A Hopeful History. They share the same message: the world is not going to end, just yet.  Abundance adds to this message by putting more specifics behind the dashboard. 

Let me share some of this good news with you. 

Basically, there are all sorts of really great innovations and solutions currently in the works for now and for our future. These innovations are in some fascinating fields like biotechnology, nanotechnology (that’s technology on a really, really small scale that will allow us to create materials that haven’t even been invented yet), 3D printing, solar power and global connectivity. Collectively, this is all shining a bit fat spotlight on a positive, prosperous and abundant future. 

For example, robots and artificial intelligence will help us improve healthcare while nanotechnology and digital manufacturing will help us reduce waste while preserving our precious natural resources. 

Take the year 2020… please! 

One of the interesting things about 2020 is that there were three billion people online. That means there were A LOT of people cranking out ideas, solutions or maybe even writing jokes.

So many people are developing and sharing ideas towards making our planet a better place. 

As Diamandis says, “Technology is a resource-liberating mechanism. It can make the once scarce the now abundant.”

The point is that the more educated and enlightened we are, the better chance we have of being the superheroes of our own planet.  But here’s where the hard work begins for all of us: we have to give up some of our TV time. 

Diamandis states, “If we were to forgo our television addiction for just one year, the world would have over a trillion hours of cognitive surplus to commit to share projects.”

He says, “I’ve got a hunk of gold and you have a watch. If we trade, then I have a watch and you have a hunk of gold. But if you have an idea and I have an idea, and we exchange them, then we both have two ideas. It’s nonzero.”

The computers will figure it out. 

By the way, if we can’t come up with these lifesaving ideas on our own, the computers probably will.  In the next 15 years, computer processors are set to surpass the human brain’s calculation capacity. Just think, you can sit back and watch re-runs of Broadchurch while your robot, Fido, figures it out and, as technology gets cheaper, so will Fido. 

There is hope!

Whether we figure it out or Fido figures it out -there is hope. We have ideas and ideas lead to solutions. 

As the author says, “In today’s hyperlinked world, solving problems anywhere, solves problems everywhere.”

Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think, by Peter H. Diamandis.

I give this book two human thumbs way up! I highly recommend this good read. The future does look bright. 

Now turn that light off if you’re not using it. 

If you like to catch on this particular podcast on any of my other Laugh Long and Prosper episodes, voted by CTV as one of the best podcasts of 2021 in Canada, check me out!  Judy Croon On Soundcloud and /or Spotify , and /or Amazon and/or FM PLAYER 

Until next time, Laugh Long and Prosper!

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