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Crush It! Why NOW is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion

By Gary Vaynerchuk

Live your passion. This is the main message behind the teachings and advice in Crush It! Why NOW is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion, by Gary Vaynerchuk. Published in 2009, this self-help book is Vaynerchuk’s first. The book is a charming mixture of personal anecdotes and advice tailored towards finding and monetizing your passions. Specifically, this book covers how to use the internet to create a personal brand centered around your passions. It emphasizes strongly the importance of passion. Vaynerchuk continually states that if you are not truly passionate about your work, you will not be able to be successful in what you are doing, saying that “skills are cheap, passion is priceless.” He lives and breathes this lesson, which is evident both in his background and in his book.

Vaynerchuk is a popular internet persona. Dripping with charm and charisma, Vaynerchuk was able to fully take advantage of the platforms that different social media sites provided, and skyrocket his way to success. Before he was an internet persona or an author, however, Vaynerchuk was known for his expansion of his family’s wine business. This expansion was his first foray into the world of the internet. He rebranded the shop and launched online sales, then began hosting an internet webcast surrounding wine. This webcast was hosted on YouTube, and this is where Vaynerchuk got his start in social media.

Signs You’re an INFJ, The World’s Rarest Personality Type

Out of the 16 personalities classified by mother and daughter Isabel Myers and Katharine Briggs in line with the psychoanalysis by Carl Jung, there is one that draws the most attention in mass media throughout the years – the INFJ type, also known as “the Advocate.” Why must that be? Apparently, only 1 to 3% of the world’s population embodies the mystic personality type and they are hard to distinguish among the crowd because they are usually reserved and outnumbered.

So, how can one know that they are an INFJ? We compiled 8 signs based on the characteristics cited by Myers and Briggs as well as some prominent researches in order to help you understand more about this kind.

How to stay focused while reading

In a fast-paced world crowded with technology and all its means, most of us are probably experiencing the loss of focus when reading which leads us to re-read sentences over and over again for them to make sense. According to science, this occurrence may be due to the fact that the brain takes a lot of cognitive energy to put us in the zone for proper functioning. Every time we are interrupted, we get lost and the brain has to take some time to boot up once more.

The globe is currently facing a crisis – the COVID-19 situation – which requires us to work from home and stick with online education. Under the flexibility of time and the comfort of our own homes, we might just have all the distractions that can hinder our concentration. In order to remain as efficient as possible, here are some tips to maintain great focus while reading.

1. Meditate.

Studies in both the human and natural sciences show that mindfulness training can actually create and strengthen new neural pathways that may lead to the enhancement of our cognitive processes. With a clear mind and within a space of no disturbance, our attention can be placed on reading.

2. Read in short intervals.

Finishing a book in one sitting is not always ideal as it can lead to the exhaustion of our cognitive abilities and decrease our comprehension abilities. It is said to be more effective to set chapter or page goals within a given time frame. The importance of taking breaks has been supported by psychology to aid in the recovery of our mental resources and the improvement of our performance. It can also rest our eyes from the strain!

3. Put calming music on.

Researches have provided evidence that music can enhance concentration. Just make sure that the songs you play are instrumentals such as classical and jazz music – or else there can be a disturbance between your visuo-spatial and phonological working memory that may yield it impossible for you to understand and remember what you are reading.

4. Use the reward system.

What’s in store for you when you accomplish your reading goals? After setting multiple intervals, you should assign rewards for each chapter that you finish. Studies attest that the reward system can motivate individuals and drive them to focus more on what they are doing.

5. Be healthier.

Your diet and lifestyle can actually alter your memory. It might be a great idea to exercise before reading because this leads in increasing levels of dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin in your body which regulates the mood and improve memory retention. Eating foods with low sugar and greater protein amounts can also fuel your brain to prime you to concentrate on your readings.

Shoe dog: A Memoir by the creator of Nike by Phil Knight

Everyone in the world today covets Nike-- a shoe giant and household brand that everyone knows of. The story of Nike and how it all started is very interesting and inspiring. Let us begin with the man behind the one of the world's leading brands in the shoe-making industry namely Phil Knight. He is an ambitious man who turned his “crazy idea” into reality. Phil Knight was finishing his college in 60’s at University of Oregon, Puma and Adidas were already huge companies. At this university, he happened to be in the school’s track and field team and met his coach Bill Bowerman.  During these years, running is not a thing and there was no such thing as right running shoes. That’s why Bill Bowerman, was fascinated in experimenting and optimizing his running shoes to make it lighter.

48 Rules of Power By Robert Greene

48 Laws of Power is an outstanding book by Robert Greene. It tackles human psyche very diligently to help you become powerful. The 48 Rules of Power are not ethical or unethical; they can be used by anyone anywhere for the good or the bad, depending upon your one’s own morality.

Anxiety is something most people find themselves feeling, in normal busy circumstances and especially in these uncertain times of the Coronavirus pandemic. Some people have been struggling with anxiety all their lives. You might not know what anxiety actually feels like, it is described as the constant feeling of dread like someone is sitting on your chest and suffocating you and you can’t lift them off. It can be triggered by anything; triggers are different for everyone. After therapy, meditation is probably the most helpful towards dealing with; to bring awareness to your body and ground you to the present, instead of keeping you lodged in the spiral of anxiety.

The practices of Buddhism and really interesting and are all about how to lead a meaningful, peaceful life. There are probably many meditation retreats near your area. The idea seems alluring; stepping back from the stresses of your normal life to go on a deeper spiritual journey and coming back a changed person. You might get a brief taste of it, each time you meditate, but if you want a deeper, more engaging experience, you will surely find a meditation retreat worthwhile. You might be experiencing a lot of anxiety over the troubles of your day to day lives and reconnect with your higher purpose. If you are okay with spending some quality time with your mind away from the shackles of technology and want to enjoy a more relaxed life, but do not have the time or resources to visit a meditation retreat, you might find what you are looking for by indulging in the study of Buddhist teachings