Monday, October 25, 2010

Tough Slog Through the Salt-Marshes of Art of War

I have been reading on Art of War.  Honest, I have.  But I picked a bad time to adopt a new study technique.  Not to say the area I'm studying isn't helpful . . . if I were to find myself in need of fighting in a salt marsh . . . but in relation to modern day?  Not finding much to relate to.  But I will take Sun Tzu's advice on getting past this tough part, taken from the salt-marsh section itself:

"In crossing the salt-marshes, your sole concern should be to get over them quickly, without any delay."

Hmm, perhaps I found a way to relate this part of AoW to the modern day after all.
 

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Journal of Self-EducationTechniques

I have begun reading a one-of-a-kind book that came too late to help me on my first elit campaigner book.  But I will read and adapt its methods as I go, in preparation for second and third choices in the campaign.  Especially, I seek to adjust it for someone with ADHD on the brain.  What book of coolness am I talking about?

This one:
 
It is about starting your own classical education, but it gave me an idea to become more engaged with this blog.  How?  By adopting and adapting the journal of self-education Ms. Bauer speaks of:

[The journal of self-education] is the place where the reader takes external information and records it (through the use of quotes, as in the commonplace book); appropriates it through a summary, written in the reader's own words; and then evaluates it through reflection and personal thought. ~ Page 36.

Most of my journal will be offline and personal, but this blog will hold clips I want to share.  The likely format will be as follows:

  1. Quote or focus
  2. Summary
  3. Rumination

It is worth a shot anyway, and will likely lead to better implementation of the study material--which is half of what I'm shooting for in the first place.  Action, not just studying.

We'll see how it goes.  Expect the first post tomorrow.

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Prolonged Campaign on Art of War

Photo by vlasta2, found on Wikipedia,


The halfway point of Sun Tzu's Art of War is not just in sight, it has been passed.  I am on nook page 72 out 135.  Thank goodness.  But that reminds me of something.  So, so long ago, I wrote about a key point in the manual.  It was relevant then; it is relevant now. 

"When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be dampened." ~   From Page 36, Part II, Number 2

The reading and studying of AoW has threatened to become the much dreaded prolonged campaign.  But Sun Tzu also pointed out:

"Thus, though we have heard of stupid haste in war, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays." ~ Same page, Same part, Number 5.

Though the last part is a downer due to my procrastination, the first part is a pick-me-upper.  Haste does not make great.  The way I read it is:  if a war is not won in a day, why should I expect to the study thereof to be accomplished any faster?  You see, there is much of Sun Tzu's advice to digest.  I'll get dyspepsia of the mind if I try to consume too fast.

That reminds me of a fresher source of advice.  A Science Daily article covered a study on complex decisions and thinking with the following result:

"the volunteers who were told to consciously think about the decision for a specific amount of time performed poorly in both experiments [conducted in the study]."  (emphasis mine)

And that: 

"although unconscious thought may help us make the right decision in some instances, it is often better to rely on self-paced conscious thought and really focus on the problem at hand."
Basically, the study showed that putting a time frame on the decision resulted in poorer decision-making results than letting your unconscious decide or letting yourself decide at your own pace.  This involved complex decisions, however.  But it made me wonder:  can it be applied elsewhere in our lives?  Namely, are we wrong to set a specific time-limit on our goals?  So, I began to think, what's the harm in testing my theory out by choosing to read and study at my own pace?--as long as their is an actual pace involved.  Non-existent or when I get to it doesn't quite count, I'm afraid.  Let's see, shall we?

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Art of War Ebook - Regrouping

Photo by vlasta2, found on Wikipedia,



I am behind on my Campgain for E-Literacy first book choice, Sun Tzu's Art of War.  Why?  Because I fell prey to what exactly Sun Tzu warned about:

...if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped.
and

. . . though we have heard of stupid haste in war, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays.

Basically, I didn't time my campaign well.  But with Sun Tzu's advice, I can reshape this campaign for success.  Starting with refocusing.  I'll craft a motive statement, asking myself, "What do I want from this campaign?"  And, "Whom do I want to reach?"

With that information, I can build a new schedule.  A new plan.  New goals.

Then, I do it.

So, Campaign for E-Literacy is about to get a second wind once I do some regrouping.


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Like this article?  Read more articles or posts based off Sun Tzu's advice on my other pages:
  1. Happiness Spotter
  2. Examiner
  3. Gather
  4. Hub
(links added as they come available)

Thursday, August 26, 2010

A is For . . .

Introduction:  On Happiness Spotter, my self-help blog, I wrote about challenging your fears to get what you want in life.  My first program to do just that is this blog, Campaign for E-Literacy.  What is Campaign for E-Literacy?  In a nutshell it is:  Studying twenty-six non-fiction ebooks from Project Gutenberg.  I will select the books by using a title from each letter of the alphabet.  I also must read all ebooks on my nook e-reader.  I am doing this all in the name of increasing my knowledge and competency in life.  And I am starting today.

Book choice:  What is first up in the Campaign for E-Literacy?  The letter A.  In this case A is for . . . Art of War by Sun Tzu.

Book reasoning:  It is a classic that survived millennia, and by that reason alone is worth listening too.

Conclusion:  That's it.  Consider joining me in reading the Art of War or starting your own literacy program.  I would love to know your thoughts on all this.

Introduction to Campaign for E-Literacy

Introduction:  On Happiness Spotter, my self-help blog, I wrote about challenging your fears to get what you want in life.  My first program to do just that is this blog, Campaign for E-Literacy.  What is Campaign for E-Literacy?  In a nutshell it is:  Studying twenty-six non-fiction ebooks from Project Gutenberg.  I will select the books by using a title from each letter of the alphabet.  I also must read all ebooks on my nook e-reader.  I am doing this all in the name of increasing my knowledge and competency in life.  And I am starting today.

My reasoning:  I will enjoy this challenge immensely--reading, learning.  I love both.  If one could make a living by reading, I would be a millionaire already. 

If that were not enough, here is a quote by John Kieran, an American journalist.  He once said, "I am a part of all that I have read."  I believe that.  So, if I read about knowledgeable, competent people writing about their area of competence, then I become competent, bit by bit, piece by piece, book by book.

A win-win.

Format of the program:  I will post updates on my progress, interesting outside material I have read or learned about the subject/author/work, related books I want to read eventually, and the knowledge acquired thus far.  These will mostly be weekly and at milestones as I read through the book--i.e., the beginning of it, the quarter mark, the half-way point, the three-quarters mark, and the ending.  All of this will be posted on this blog.

Conclusion:  That's it.  Consider joining me in reading my A book or starting your own literacy program.  I would love to know your thoughts on all this.