Eternal Learning

Ever thought why do we do what we do? What makes us go on?

Happiness researchers have shown that *anticipation of the successful completion of goals is a carrot that motivates people* to pursue objectives, creative and otherwise.

In keeping with this idea, the achievements and inventions that shaped human evolution (and continue to do so) are products of natural selection for cognition (thinking abilities) that entails a remarkable ability to become absorbed in specific goals.

Athletes describe such a state as *“being in the zone” "flow".* This flow is associated with happiness.

During flow, you become entirely absorbed in a mental or physical activity and experience a *heightened sense of awareness.*

Flow will not happen during activities that are involuntary, boring, or unenjoyable.

Instead, activities that are conducive to flow are challenging or even enthralling, and they are usually associated with goals. (Is this really the case? *Can we do anything about it?* We discuss this and *much more* in my workshop on *Decoding Happiness*.)
Bhavna: 9811404486

20 Lessons Of Mastery Learned From Robert Greene

1 – Understand who you truly are, and what kind of vocation or career you feel called to do.

2 – Commit to an apprenticeship, in which you undergo years of humble observation, skill acquisition, and experimentation.

3 – Revert to a feeling of inferiority, and possess and deep humility and eagerness to learn from others.

4 – Move toward resistance and pain, let go of need for comfort/security, and cross the threshold past the initial tedious stages of learning.

5 – After apprenticeship phase, you must become bold, confident, and willing to test out skills and make connections between different ideas.

6 – Learn to embrace criticism and failure, and be grateful for the opportunity to learn and improve as a result of your mistakes.

7 – Understand that there is an emotional component, not intellectual, that separates the true masters from others.

8 – Develop your social intelligence, and your ability to empathetically put yourself in another person’s shoes and see/understand things from his or her perspective.

9 – Move past the habitual tendency to judge others or idealize/demonize them, and simply observe them rather than projecting your own thoughts, emotions, or insecurities onto them.

10 – You must be wary of many peoples’ tendencies to display certain vices that could hinder your progress, such as: envy, conformism, rigidity, self-obsessiveness, laziness, flightiness, and passive aggression.

11 – Learn to speak through your work, and to win others to your side of thinking by being patient and letting what you have done speak for itself.

12 – Try to see yourself as other see you, so that you can remain emotionally detached and try to improve upon your flaws and shortcomings.

13 – Suffer fools gladly, and don’t take criticism seriously or personally from people who don’t know what they’re talking about.

14 – Return to your childlike sense of wonder and endless curiosity about all things in order to stimulate your creative energy.

15 – Drop all preconceived notions about he world, and utilize the power of your imagination to the fullest.

16 – Always be open and receptive to new ideas that challenge conventionality, and don’t be afraid of thinking something that is unpopular.

17 – Love learning for its own sake, and connect a wide array of ideas from different fields of study and disciplines.

18 – Maintain a sense of destiny/purpose and feel consciously connected to it.

19 – Qualities that will help you succeed: Self-discipline, desire, persistence, focus, effort, patience, energy, obsessiveness, observance, confidence, trust in self, emotional commitment, humility, adaptability, boldness, openness.

20 – Qualities that hinder your success: Complacency, conservatism, dependency, impatience, grandiosity, inflexibility, distractibility, becoming egotistical, close-mindedness.