From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks| Book Summary and Golden Lines
Building on your strengths not only leads to personal fulfillment but also benefits society as a whole.
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The Book in Three Sentences
- The key to happiness and success is to pursue and build on your strengths, rather than trying to fix your weaknesses.
- To find your strengths, look for activities that make you feel invigorated, not just those that you're good at.
- Building on your strengths not only leads to personal fulfillment but also benefits society as a whole.
Golden Lines (description and free resource) - These are some of my favorite lines from the book along with my reaction.
"In fact, older adults can enhance their cognitive effectiveness precisely by taking their own advice: turn off the phone and music and go someplace completely quiet to think and work."
One of the key points from this book is that no matter what our cognitive powers decline as we age. Our brains change and if we commit to making some changes we can adapt as we get older to utilize the strengths that only the older and wiser possess. As I’ve advanced in years I find that I can be much more productive when I find a quiet place and play instrumental music. It’s as though it’s become easier for me to become overstimulated. As we age, our brains change, and it's important to adapt to these changes by utilizing our strengths. By doing so, we can continue to be productive and achieve personal fulfillment even as we get older.
"Great gifts and achievements early in life are simply not an insurance policy against suffering later on. On the contrary, studies show that people who have chased power and achievement in their professional lives tend to be unhappier after retirement than people who did not."
The past is the past. It can momentarily feel good to remember previous successes and victories, but we don’t feel are best unless we feel like we are presently doing something that matters. Power and achievement matter less and less the older we become. This is a call to find ways to strengthen relationships and engage in timeless activities that bring us joy. In the end, what truly matters is how we spend our time and who we spend it with.
"When you are young, you have raw smarts; when you are old, you have wisdom. When you are young, you can generate lots of facts; when you are old, you know what they mean and how to use them."
It’s the wisdom of age that is needed more than the facts and speed of youth. Schools and businesses would do best to employ people with vast experience and wisdom, ask them questions, and then actually listen to what they have to say. It is important to recognize the value of older individuals in the workforce and society as a whole. By tapping into their wisdom and experience, we can benefit from their unique perspectives and insights.
"Devote the back half of your life to serving others with your wisdom. Get old sharing the things you believe are most important. Excellence is always its own reward, and this is how you can be most excellent as you age."
It's understandable that sharing what you've learned to help others makes you feel good, regardless of your age. Teaching is one of the ways I fulfill this need. On even the most difficult days, I can leave school with the knowledge that I made a difference for others, thus contributing to the betterment of my community. It is important to recognize the value of older individuals in the workforce and society as a whole. By tapping into their wisdom and experience, we can benefit from their unique perspectives and insights.
"In short, imagine it’s your last year of life, as well as of work. On the Sunday afternoon before the first day of each month, contemplate these questions: If I had one year left in my career and my life, how would I structure this coming month? What would be on my to-do list? What would I choose not to worry about?"
These can be exciting and scary things to contemplate. Taking time to do this makes it harder to lose sight of what’s most important and serves as a reminder of the “big things” you want to accomplish. Narrow your focus to answer the most important questions and look for ways to cut out the extraneous noise. It's important to continually reassess and adjust our priorities as we go through life. By concentrating on what truly matters, we can achieve personal fulfillment and make a positive impact on the world around us.
From Strength to Strength
Building on your strengths not only leads to personal fulfillment but also benefits society as a whole.
Conclusion
When I started reading this book, I thought it might not be applicable to me as retirement seemed too far away. I was concerned that it might make me anxious about retirement, but fortunately, that was not the case. Strength to Strength highlights the importance of focusing on our strengths rather than our weaknesses, and how this can lead to personal fulfillment and benefit society as a whole. By tapping into the unique perspectives and insights of older individuals, we can continue to learn, grow, and make a positive impact on the world around us. "From Strength to Strength" offers valuable insights and practical advice for anyone looking to achieve personal fulfillment and success.
You can read more of my book summaries here.
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