Daily Ramblings – Daily Quote – Joseph Addison – The Law of Noninterference

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Giving help when it isn't needed, Invading another's space, Joseph Addison, Just listen, Law of Noninterference, Listening

“There is nothing which we receive with so much reluctance as advice.” – Joseph Addison

Well, this is a great one. Have you ever heard of the law of noninterference? The law dictates that we not give unwanted advice or intrude on someone else without their permission.

I used to be really bad at this. Now, I’m still a little bad, but not as much. Someone would begin talking about a problem and my mind would begin racing to help them with a solution. I give it, the person gets defensive, and it is no longer about their problem that they are sharing. It is now about why they don’t want to use my magnificent solution and how stupid they are for not taking my advice. Have you ever been in this situation?

The best way to help people is by just listening to them. Most of us are smart enough to solve our own problems. In fact, we can typically come up with a pretty good plan to solve a current problem almost as immediately as it arrives in our lap. Give your friends, loved ones, and colleagues some credit. Maybe, they just want to share their problem to get it out there, get it off of their chest, minimize the problem by communicating the problem to someone else. This “unloading” can be quite rewarding psychologically.

So, listen to your friends when they discuss a problem with you. Really listen to them. Don’t rush to a solution and give it to them. They don’t want that. The only time your solution should be provided is if your friend or loved one asks for it. Then you are free to provide whatever help you can. You can do this because they’ve invited you in. Anything else and you violate the Law of Noninterference and step all over your friend or loved one’s feelings.

If they want your help, they will ask.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Daily Quote

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Dimensions of Life, Joseph Addison, Reading

Hello, Readers!

I want to do something different with my Daily Quotes. I want to minimize the quotes and actually put more of a slant to them. This allows me to communicate with you in my own words and also makes this more personal for me.

As some of you already know, I love a good quote. I find them inspiring, funny, and eye-opening. More importantly, I find they spur me to look around inside and gauge my response, almost like a person who walks through a museum and sees that one picture that really impacts them. This is what a good quote does for me.

So, going forward, you’re going to get one quote and the thoughts this quote pulls from me. Feel free to comment with any quotes you enjoy or your take on the Daily Quote I post here going forward.

Have a terrific Friday!!

Quote

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” – Joseph Addison

My Thoughts

I am a huge advocate for physical exercise in all its forms. I am also huge on diet, supplementation, and finding new ways to improve myself physically. If you’ve been following along, I have written articles on what are called the four dimensions of life. This quote spurred me to think about these dimensions and how important it is for us to maintain each one of them so we can live a balanced and happy life.

If you are unfamiliar with the four dimensions of life, they are not mine. They were introduced by late Dr. Steven Covey, author of “The 7 habits of highly effective people.” They are the physical dimension, the spiritual dimension, the intellectual dimension, and the social dimension.

Reading is one of the great ways to learn, explore new ideas, and ultimately, get in the head of the author. Paul Twitchell, one of my favorite authors, suggests that when you read a book, a poem, or listen to music, to imagine the author writing the words of the book or imagine the artist create the painting. This is a really interesting technique because it really adds to the experience of reading.

Another thing Covey suggests is to read broadly. In other words, try a new genre, or read poetry if you haven’t read it before, or even try to read nonfiction, perhaps to learn something new.

Reading is also important because it exercises our ability to visualize. When I read a great book, my skills of visualization are tested because each story is introducing us to a new world, a world born from an author’s imagination. The better we visualize the better the experience of the book becomes.

Reading could be used to improve the spiritual dimension, the physical dimension, the social dimension, or the intellectual dimension. It all depends on what you read, right?

Part of my daily routine is to read at least 1 chapter of a book each day. I typically read more than that, but even if I’m really busy, it is not difficult to knock out one chapter. To establish this habit, start small. Read a page a day or a set number of paragraphs. Pick a time you’ll read each day, whether it’s in the morning or in the evening. I enjoy reading when I get home from the gym and have had my post workout meals, taken my vitamins, and have cleaned up. I find I’m perfectly relaxed and more than ready to explore a new world (start a new book) or continue to visit the world I’m learning about (reading a current book).

What times of day do you prefer to read? Are there any particular genres you gravitate to? What genre of book would you like to read that you haven’t picked up yet?

Have a great Friday all.

Until tomorrow…