Life and Productivity Tips

He makes time for it. Buffet once gave students in an investing class at Columbia University the following advice: "Read 500 pages like this every day," Buffett said to the students, while reaching toward a stack of manuals and papers. "That's how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it." Well, we can all build up that knowledge. But are we really doing it? Warren Buffett says, “I just sit in my office and read all day.” What does that mean? He estimates that he spends 80% of his working day reading and thinking. This leads to what is known as the  Buffet Formula: “Going to bed smarter than you woke up.” Why is that so important? We’ve been recording knowledge in books for a long time. That means there’s not a lot that’s new; it’s just recycled old knowledge. Odds are that no matter what you’re working on, someone somewhere, who is smarter than you, has...

Let me walk you through a story before going to the point. He was furious. “You're getting old, Dad! Stop telling me to quit using social media,” my teenager told me. “There’s nothing wrong with social media, Dad!” he continued. “Everyone uses these devices… maybe you are the one with the problem,” he retorted. “Son, life is like a ladder. The higher you go, the easier your life will be — the lower you are on this ladder of value, the higher the odds you will struggle in the future.” That got his attention. “Ladder of value? What do you mean, Dad?” The same lesson I gave my son, will answer your question: do you have any advice for my early 20s life? “We all have the same twenty-four hours a day. No matter who you are, time makes NO distinctions. The ground is leveled. When we're young, we feel like time is infinite, but never underestimate your time. It’s your most precious resource of life.” “What does this have to do with my smartphone?” he asked. “E...

The nature of books has evolved. Society and technology have changed. Forcibly, our approach to reading has taken on new forms to accommodate a different way of life. The question is: For better or worse? Although books give us new ideas, spark discussions, and explore topics in detail, the same information can be delivered in a variety of formats. When it comes to exactly  how  we should absorbing books, the debate rages on. Let’s take a look. The Effectiveness of Speed Reading Since the 1950s, speed reading has been touted as an effective way to get through reading material quickly. Scientists, psychologists, and teachers have come up with methods to increase reading speed, whether through manual tools or visual movements. At the World Championship Speed Reading Competition, top contestants can reach 1,000 to 2,000 words per minute. Six-time champion Anne Jones reached 4,200 words per minute at one point. Those rates seem phenomenal compared to the  ...