Merce Cardus's Blog, page 78

August 25, 2015

Stepping Into A Universe Of Possibility

Benjamin Zander on The Art of Possibility

In The Art of Possibility,the authors’ harmoniously interwoven perspectives provide a deep sense of the powerful role that the notion of possibility can play in every aspect of life.

Life in the Measurement World

On our path to achieving a goal we inevitably encounter obstacles. Some of the more familiar ones, aside from other people, are scarcities of time, money, power, love, resources, and inner strength.

All the manifestationss of the world of measurement–the winning and losing, the gai...

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Published on August 25, 2015 22:11

How Amazon Algorithm Gets You To Spend Money

Jerry Kaplan on Computers

After billions of dollars and fifty years of effort, researchers are finally cracking the code on artificial intelligence. As society stands on the cusp of unprecedented change, Jerry Kaplan, author of Humans Need Not Applyunpacks the latest advances in robotics, machine learning, and perception powering systems that rival or exceed human capabilities

Companies like Amazon take advantage of the fact they know a whole lot more about buying patterns than you do. As author and entrepreneur J...

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Published on August 25, 2015 22:11

HUMP DAY LINKS ~ Reads on Writing, Self-Publishing & Better Living: The Introvert Advantage

the introvert advantage

Quote of the day

Many introverts don’t feel as if they know enough about a subject until they know almost everything.

~MARTI OLSEN LANEY, author ofThe Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World

WRITING

The process monkey asks: What is your writing process?, Terrible Minds| Tweet

Let me say this up front: if you’re a writer of any age or experience level, you need to be looking at your writing process. Always. Yesterday, today, tomorrow.

Writing Your Way: Creating a Writin...

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Published on August 25, 2015 22:10

August 24, 2015

Quitting As An Art

Peg Streep on Quitting

In Mastering the Art of Quitting,bestselling author Peg Streep and psychotherapist Alan Bernstein demonstrate that persistence alone isn’t always the answer. We also need to be able to quit to get the most out of life.

While the culture says that quitting is the easy way out, genuine disengagement isn’t

Goal disengagement takes place on what might be thought of as four levels simultaneously: cognitive, affective, motivational, and behavioral. In plain language, those are the levels of thoug...

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Published on August 24, 2015 22:40

The Benefits Of A Bilingual Brain

PhD King Kendall on Bilingualism

It’s obvious that knowing more than one language can make certain things easier — like traveling or watching movies without subtitles. But are there other advantages to having a bilingual (or multilingual) brain?

In The Bilingual Edge, professors and parents King and Mackey wade through the hype and provide clear insights into what actually works

Mia Nacamulli details the three types of bilingual brains and shows how knowing more than one language keeps your brain healthy, complex and active...

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Published on August 24, 2015 22:39

TUESDAY LINKS ~ Reads on Writing, Self-Publishing & Better Living: Do The Work

do the work

Photo Credit: silviapenny via Compfight cc

Quote of the day

No matter how great a writer, artist, or entrepreneur, he is a mortal, he is fallible. He is not proof against Resistance. He will drop the ball; he will crash. That’s why they call it rewriting.

~STEVEN PRESSFIELD, author ofDo the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way

WRITING

Beyond Happily Ever After: What Story Offers, Writers in the Storm| Tweet

On the first page of her book Wired for Story, Lisa Cron says:“...

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Published on August 24, 2015 22:38

August 23, 2015

Thank You, Errors

Nassim Taleb on Freedom

InAntifragile,Nassim Nicholas Taleb, the bestselling author of The Black Swanand one of the foremost thinkers of our time, reveals how to thrive in an uncertain world.

The random element in trial and error is not quite random, if it is carried out rationally, using error as a source of information

If every trial provides you with information about what does not work, you start zooming in on a solution–so every attempt becomes more valuable, more like an expense than an error. And of course...

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Published on August 23, 2015 22:47

Why Exercising Makes Us More Creative

Wendy Suzuki on Creativity

Neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki is hard at work in her lab experimenting with a new hypothesis: Can you stimulate creativity through exercise? She thinks so, and she’s got a wide array of research backing her up. She is the author ofHealthy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to Activate Your Brain and Do Everything Better

The most creative people are using both sides of the brain together

One of the most fascinating things about creativity is that the most recent studies are showing that...

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Published on August 23, 2015 22:46

MONDAY LINKS ~ Reads on Writing, Self-Publishing & Better Living: Reboot Your Life

reboot your life

Photo Credit: Jeff_Terrell via Compfight cc

Quote of the day

Why would we take time off unless we expected it to change us in some positive way, so that we could truly keep living the lifelong sabbatical, or at least reap the benefits from it?

~CATHERINE ALLEN, author ofReboot Your Life: Energize Your Career and Life by Taking a Break

WRITING

What cliché is, Writer Unboxed| Tweet

Cheating.No really, the cheating factor is why so many people get irritated when they spot cliché. Leftovers...

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Published on August 23, 2015 22:46

August 20, 2015

How To Be Interesting In 10 Simple Steps

Jessica Hagy on How to Be Interesting

You want to leave a mark, not a blemish. Be a hero, not a spectator. You want to beinteresting. (Who doesn’t?) But sometimes it takes a nudge, a wake-up call, an intervention!―and a little help.

This is where Jessica Hagy comes in. A writer and illustrator of great economy, charm, and insight, she’s created How to Be Interesting: (In 10 Simple Steps), a uniquely inspirational how-to that combines fresh and pithy lessons with deceptively simple diagrams and charts.

Step # 1: Go Exploring

Ex...

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Published on August 20, 2015 22:27