Junk Learning

Consumption of junk information 24X7 actually damage brain than making us any smarter. Also, most people nowadays are sure of their own belief without trying argue the opposite equally well!
These people become canon fodder of propaganda machines.

Not everything we learn is good for our brain. Junk foods are eatables, but they do not make us healthy. Similarly, a lot of the information that we come across everyday doesn’t actually make us smarter. If the data we gather are faulty, our reasoning based on that data will be faulty too, and so will be our actions based on that reasoning.

This is ‘junk learning’. Just as junk food can make you sick, junk learning can make you dumb. Worrying still, the more your brain gets fed with junk learning the more prone it will become to pick up further junk learning because of the pathways that have already been opened up in your brain.

With too much information available at our fingertips now, we are more and more at risk of getting swayed by junk learning.

How to avoid junk learning:

1. Recognize human capital often depreciates; invest in knowledge that increases in value.
2. Avoid overconfidence.
3. Avoid confirmation bias.
4. Avoid trusting the wrong ideas and false experts.
5. Learn across disciplines.

Source: Most People Think This Is A Smart Habit, But It’s Actually Brain-Damaging

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30 Lessons From The Magic of Thinking Big

The Magic of Thinking Big contains the secrets to getting the most out of your job, your marriage and family life. The book illustrates how you don’t need to be incredibly intelligent or unique to have the success you want, you simply need to think in a way that cultivates success. By thinking big you can motivate yourself to improve your work life, earn more money and get more happiness and fulfillment out of life.

Following are the 30 things I learnt from this books:

1. Don’t make excuses for why you can’t reach your goals.
2. All people have the same amount of hours in the day – Successful people find the time to become successful.
3. You are not too young/old to become successful. Steve Jobs started Apple before he was twenty and Ronald Reagan had become 70 years old when he became president of America.
4. Interest and enthusiasm is more important than intelligence.
5. Compliment people at every opportunity.
6. Use positive words.
7. Learn to see/visualize what can be and not what is.
8. Eliminate the word impossible and think how “it” could be done.
9. Change is required for progress.
10. Expose yourself to new things, friends, places, restaurants etc.
11. Always accept every opportunity to do more.
12. If you want something done. Hand it to the busiest person you know.
13. Action cures fear. Action separates a dreamer from a doer.
14. A fair idea acted upon is better than great idea not acted upon.
15. Smile until you show your teeth towards all people and you’ll feel happier
16. Walk faster than other people.
17. Speak up, but don’t speak fast, so you avoid sounding insecure.
18. Look sharp and you will think sharp and be perceived sharp.
19. Sell yourself to yourself. Do a commercial about yourself.
20. All children dream big, but repressive environment results in only 3-4% never give up success.
21. Don’t let negative people destroy your plans. Seek advice only from successful people. They know its possible.
22. Gossip is poison – Chopping your neighbors furniture doesn’t make your won better.
23. Put service first and money will come.
24. Call people by name.
25. Avoid sarcasm and don’t make other people small.
26. The better you treat people the better your are off. Praise people first.
27. Think improvement and high standards in everything you do.
28. Successful people spend time alone for super thinking. At least 30 min a day.
29. Visualize goals for home, work and social activities.
30. Every step should be seen as a step towards you direction to success.

In the words of Publilius Syrus:
A wise man will be master of his mind,
A fool will be its slave.