Life Is Short And So Is This Book

by Peter Atkins

I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it. - Thomas Jefferson

People don’t tend to achieve things in great leaps forward. Rather, we progress one step at a time, usually with small insights here or there.

to make changes in your life, focus on taking small steps in the right direction. Whether you want to change your health, your job, or your relationship, you can’t do it overnight. And you can’t become great at anything without a lot of repeated practice.

It also helps to imagine your success. The mind is an amazing thing. If you focus your brain on success and you practice seriously, you’ll slowly build the deep confidence you need to persevere in life. You’ll be ready for the obstacles the world throws at you -- or at least you’ll expect to encounter them.

Picking the right partner - someone you respect, and with whom you can communicate, laugh and collaborate well - can make a huge difference in the quality of your life.

Many people are afraid of being introspective because they feel vulnerable. But without a willingness to open up, you won’t understand yourself and you can’t ultimately be truly happy.

If your goal is to help other people, but you never do anything about it, you’ll be unsatisfied.

Remember: take small steps. They work. Big steps often don’t. Over time, small steps add up, and you end up in a different place.

Judgment and wisdom matter a great deal. To acquire them, and to be creative, it’s important to slow down enough at times to notice what is going on around you.

Focus is important because time is limited and you can’t do everything, let alone do everything well.

Life is imperfect everywhere.