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Beautiful Untranslatable Words from Around the World

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Beautiful Untranslatable Words from Around the World

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"Words belong to each other," Virginia Woolf said in the only surviving recording of her voice, a magnificent meditation on the beauty of language. But what happens when words are kept apart by too much unbridgeable otherness? "Barring downright deceivers, mild imbeciles and impotent poets, there exist, roughly speaking, three types of translators," Vladimir Nabokov opened his strongly worded opinion on translation. Indeed, this immeasurably complex yet vastly underappreciated art of multilingual gymnastics, which helps words belong to each other and can reveal volumes about the human condition, is often best illuminated through the negative space around it - those foreign words so rich and layered in meaning that the English language, despite its own unusual vocabulary, renders them practically untranslatable.

Such beautifully elusive words is what writer and illustrator Ella Frances Sanders, a self-described "intentional" global nomad, explores in Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words from Around the World (public library), published shortly before Sanders turned twenty-one.

From the Japanese for leaving a book unread after buying it to the Swedish for the road-like reflection of the moon over the ocean to the Italian for being moved to tears by a story to the Welsh for a sarcastic smile, the words Sanders illustrates dance along the entire spectrum of human experience, gently reminding us that language is what made us human.

In addition to the charming illustrations and sheer linguistic delight, the project is also a subtle antidote to our age of rapid communication that flattens nuanced emotional expression into textual shorthand and tyrannical clichés. These words, instead, represent not only curiosities of the global lexicon but also a rich array of sentiments, emotions, moods, and cultural priorities from a diverse range of heritage.

These words invariably prompt you to wonder, for instance, whether a culture lacking a word for the sunlight that filters through the leaves of the trees is also one lacking the ennobling capacity for such quality of presence, for the attentive and appreciative stillness this very act requires. Our words bespeak our priorities.

Sanders writes in the introduction:

The words in this book may be answers to questions you didn't know to ask, and perhaps some you did. They might pinpoint emotions and experiences that seemed elusive or indescribable, or they may cause you to remember a person you'd forgotten. If you take something away from this book ... let it be the realization or affirmation that you are human, that you are fundamentally, intrinsically bound to every single person on the planet with language and feelings.

Complement Lost in Translation with Orin Hargraves on how to upgrade our uses and abolish our abuses of language, then treat yourself to this illustrated dictionary of unusual English words.
Illustrations courtesy of Ella Frances Sanders

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lost in translation: an illustrated compendium of untranslatable words from around the world

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Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Catalog of Beautiful Untranslatable Words from Around the World

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"Words belong to each other," Virginia Woolf said in the only surviving recording of her voice, a magnificent meditation on the beauty of language. But what happens when words are kept apart by too much unbridgeable otherness? "Barring downright deceivers, mild imbeciles and impotent poets, there exist, roughly speaking, three types of translators," Vladimir Nabokov opened his strongly worded opinion on translation.

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So there's absolutely no debate on whether or not most of us are counting days until the summer. There's only one small problem - once the summer comes, everybody starts to panic how can they make the most of it - things to see, places to visit, beaches to lay on, so much to do, so little time. So, if you're planning your vacation, make sure to check out these amazing Airbnbs around the world, maybe one of them will become your next holiday destination? But before you scroll any further, this list compiled by Bored Panda will most definitely make you want to book these luxurious places to stay, so prepare to get really really excited about your next holiday.

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So there's absolutely no debate on whether or not most of were counting days until the summer. There's only one small problem - once the summer comes, everybody starts to panic how can they make the most of it - things to see, places to visit, beaches to lay on, so much to do, so little time.

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Silence Is Much More Important to our Brains Than we Think

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Silence Is Much More Important to our Brains Than we Think

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How is your memory? Is your cognitive function as strong as you'd like it to be?

If not, then you're definitely going to be interested in the memory improvement tips I'll be sharing with you in this article.

Despite what you might think - or have been told - improving your ability to recall information is certainly possible. You just need to know the right ways to do it. (Don't worry, as you won't need to make any significant lifestyle changes.)

So how to improve memory? Let's dive straight into the first of seven easy ways to improve your memory significantly.

1. Meditate

We live in a world of non-stop, 24/7 information. It's like a waterfall that's endlessly pouring news, data, facts and figures into our conscious minds.

Unfortunately, our brains are not designed to absorb this tremendous amount of information. It's no wonder then, that most people struggle to remember information and recall things.

Even if you believe you have a good memory and are comfortable with multi-tasking, you'll also be aware that there's only so much information your brain can process at one time. And research suggests that the more information and distractions, the harder it is for you to transfer information to your long-term memory.

Fortunately, meditation can help you out.

Even if you just meditate for 10 minutes per day, you'll boost your ability to focus, which in turn, will make it easier for you to remember important facts.

If you need help in shifting into a meditative state, I recommend trying an app like Headspace - which can assist you to achieve this in a convenient and structured way.

And don't forget, meditation doesn't just have to be closing your eyes and sitting in a lotus position. Some people prefer to simply take a short walk in nature. This clears and calms their mind, and still provides the all-important boost to their focus.

2. Get plenty of sleep

If you're sleep deprived or have not been sleeping well, then I'm guessing you're not remembering well either. This is because sleep and memory are intimately connected.

If you have a busy life and regularly find yourself not getting enough sleep, then this will negatively impact your cognitive abilities - including your memory.

How much sleep should you be getting?

Well, according to the National Sleep Foundation, you need a minimum of seven to nine hours of sleep per night. If you get this amount of sleep regularly, then within just a few days, you'll see a tangible improvement to your ability to remember and recall things.

Now, I'll be honest with you, maintaining a proper sleep cycle is not always easy (especially when the latest Netflix series has just been released!). But if you care about improving your short-term and long-term ability to remember things, then it's critical that you try to get at least the recommended amount of sleep every night.

Are there ways to hack the sleep cycle?

Yes, there are.

Try these three things:

Have a fixed bedtime (preferably before 10pm)

Don't eat too late

Make sure your bedroom is as dark as possible

Sleeping is a precious activity. It regenerates your body, clears your mind, and helps with the storing and retrieval of information.

However, don't sleep just yet, as I want to tell you about another great way to increase memory...

3. Challenge your brain

When was the last time you challenged your brain?

I don't mean challenged in the sense of overeating or undersleeping. I'm referring to stretching your mental capabilities through things like crossword puzzles, Sudoku and memory games.

To expand your memory bank, and to make your recall razor-sharp, you need to continually challenge your brain.

Feedback from Lifehack readers such as yourself, has suggested that brain training apps are a super-effective way of doing this. Used regularly, these apps can enhance your focus, attention span, problem-thinking ability and memory.

There are hundreds of these apps available (most of them for free), but I recommend starting out with one of the big three:

Peak (Android/iOS, free, 10 million+ downloads)

Lumosity (Android/iOS, free, 10 million+ downloads)

Elevate (Android/iOS, free, 5 million+ downloads)

If you normally spend a chunk of your week playing computer games, then instead of shooting and killing your enemies, why not let some of them live - while you put your attention into boosting your brain power!

Challenging your brain will strengthen your neural pathways and enhance your mental abilities. But don't just take my word for it, try one of the apps above and see the positive benefits for yourself.

4. Take more breaks

When I think back to my days as a budding entrepreneur, I distinctively remember working all the hours under the sun - and many under the moon too!

At that time, I believed that breaks were for the weak, and to become wealthy and successful, I needed to shed blood, sweat and tears.

However, I was wrong.

Taking regular breaks is the best way to keep yourself productive, creative and alive to opportunities. It's also the best way to learn new information.

Let me explain.

Typically, when studying lots of new information, most people will spend hours reading it - in an attempt to learn and remember the content as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, they've overlooked something.

Namely, extended study sessions are rarely a good thing, as your ability to retain information naturally declines after a certain period of time.

It's similar to physical exercise. You wouldn't attempt to train vigorously for four hours in a row. Instead, you'd take regular breaks to give your lungs, heart and muscles adequate time to recover. Failing to do this will result in muscle cramps and overexertion.

Scroll down to continue reading article

It's the same with your brain. If you overload it with information, you'll suffer from mental fatigue.

What's the answer?

Make sure you take regular breaks when learning new information. I recommend at least a 10-minute break every hour. (You may also want to take a look at the Pomodoro Method.)

If you don't want to be as regimented as that, then take breaks as soon as you find yourself losing the ability to focus on the new material. Your brain will thank you - and your learning aptitude will move up a level.

5. Learn a new skill

I love this quote, as it's 100% true - but frequently overlooked:

"Learning never exhausts the mind." - Leonardo da Vinci

From my experience of helping to develop the careers of dozens of Lifehack employees, I can definitively say that participating in meaningful and purposeful activities stimulates the mind. It also reduces stress and enhances health and well-being.

Let me give you an example of this:

Imagine you work for a global financial institution in one of their call centers. You take over 100 calls a day - many of them complaints. When you started the job a few months back, you were excited to be in full-time employment and working for a household name.

Unfortunately, your initial enthusiasm quickly turned into frustration.

The endless complaint calls began to take their toll on you. And the supervisors irritated you too, as they were far too interested in micro-managing you - rather than letting you work in your own way.

Now, in the story above, the ending could be that you put up with a job you didn't like, and led a dull and frustrated working life for years and years. However, an alternative ending is this: you channeled your dissatisfaction in to learning a new skill (computer coding). It took you a year or two to get up to speed, but it allowed you to successfully upgrade your career - and the ongoing learning made the call centre job much more bearable.

Clearly, learning new skills gives you impetus, focus and something to aim for. Your brain loves to learn, and you should tap into this by always seeking our new information. And when learning becomes a habit, you'll find your ability to remember and recall things effortlessly, becomes a habit too.

6. Start working out

If you're not already working out regularly, then here's another reason to do so:

Exercising for 20-30 minutes three times a week will improve your long-term memory.

Regular exercise increases blood flow in your body and supplies the brain with extra oxygen and nutrients. And a well-nourished brain is a well-functioning brain!

"But I just don't have the time?," I hear you say.

Not a problem.

A research has shown that a daily burst of 60 seconds of high-intensity exercise, offered many of the benefits of the longer exercise routines. So, if you're short on time - now you know what to do.

Interested in getting started?

Here are five different ways that will help you work out:

Join a gym

Join a sports team

Buy a bike

Take up hiking

Dance to your favorite music

7. Eat healthier foods

I'm sure you've heard the expression: "You are what you eat."

This applies to your brain too.

The food that you eat helps determine your brain's capacity to store and recall information. A poor diet (think junk food + soda!) harms not just your physical health, but your mental health too.

Fortunately, there are several foods that are especially good for your brain and your memory. These include: blueberries, celery and dark chocolate. But anything high in antioxidants will have a positive effect on your brain and memory.

Conversely, highly-processed foods and those loaded with sugar will have a negative impact on your memory. This is due to them providing insufficient nutrients for your brain - leading you to easily suffer from mental fatigue.

Want to be mentally healthy? Then eat and drink an abundance of these for brain health:

Turmeric - helps new brain cells grown

Broccoli - protects the brain against damage

Nuts - improves memory

Green tea - enhances brain performance, memory and focus

Fish oil - fish oil supplements can increase your brain power

Here're more brain food options that improve memory!

Final thoughts

I sincerely hope these seven memory boosting ways that I've covered in this article will be of help to you.

You don't need to implement them all. I suggest just trying the ones that appeal to you.

But, if you're serious about dramatically improving your memory, then make a start right now on adopting one or more of the ways I've suggested. I'm confident you won't regret it.

More Resources About Boost Brain Power

Featured photo credit: Eric Ward via unsplash.com

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Science Says Silence Is Much More Important To Our Brains Than We Think

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How is your memory? Is your cognitive function as strong as you'd like it to be? If not, then you're definitely going to be interested in the memory improvement tips I'll be sharing with you in this article. Despite what you might think - or have been told - improving your ability to recall information is certainly possible.

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How important is the stuff in your life?

Your material possessions-those things you've worked so hard for by slaving 40, 50, 60 hours a week to acquire-how much value do they actually add to your life?

We bet it's less than you realize.

Here's an exercise for you. Take a moment and write down your ten most expensive material possessions from the last decade. Things like your car, your house, your jewelry, your furniture, and any other material possessions you own or have owned in the last ten years. The big ticket items.

Next to that list, make another top ten list: ten things that add the most value to your life. This list might include experiences like catching a sunset with a loved one, watching your kid play baseball, eating dinner with your parents, etc.

Be honest with yourself when you're making these lists: it's likely that both lists share zero things in common.
Subscribe to The Minimalists via email.

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10/10 Material Possessions Theory | The Minimalists

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How important is the stuff in your life? Your material possessions-those things you've worked so hard for by slaving 40, 50, 60 hours a week to acquire-how much value do they actually add to your life? We bet it's less than you realize. Here's an exercise for you.

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The Polish legislative election of 1989 was the tenth election to the Sejm, the parliament of the People's Republic of Poland, and eleventh in Communist Poland. It took place on 4 June (first round) and 18 June (second round).

Not all parliamentary seats were freely contested, but the resounding victory of the Solidarity opposition in the freely contested races paved the way to the fall of Communism in Poland. In the election's aftermath, Poland became the first country of the Eastern Bloc in which democratically elected representatives gained real power. Although the elections were not entirely democratic, they paved the way for creation of Tadeusz Mazowiecki's cabinet and a peaceful transition to democracy, both in Poland and elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe, which was confirmed after the Polish parliamentary elections of 1991.

Election
On June 4, 1989, voters went to the polls to elect members of the lower and upper houses of the Polish parliament, the Sejm and the Senate. The elections were not fully democratic. Under the election law at the time, the opposition could win no more than 35 percent of the seats in the lower house. The remaining 65 percent, or 299 seats, was reserved for the ruling Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR) and its two satellite parties as well as three religious and social organizations controlled by the communists.
The turnout was surprisingly low: only 62.7% in the first round and 25% in the second.
The result of the June 4 elections came as a shock to the communists-the opposition won by a landslide, gaining 160 of the 161 seats they could win in the lower house and 92 seats in the 100-member Senate. The turnout was 62 percent.
In the second round on June 18, the opposition won one seat in the lower house and seven seats in the Senate. As a result, the opposition eventually took all the seats available in a free election in the lower house and 99 seats in the Senate. The only senator from outside the Wałęsa camp was businessman Henryk Stokłosa, an independent candidate.
After their election defeat, the communists were unable to form a government of their own because Wałęsa won over some of their former allies from the United Peasants' Party and the Democratic Party. In this situation, a coalition government was formed Aug. 24, 1989 with Solidarity leading light Tadeusz Mazowiecki as prime minister. His government embarked on far-reaching changes in Poland based on democratizing the political system and reforming the economy. The latter reforms, initiated by deputy prime minister and finance minister Leszek Balcerowicz, were dubbed shock therapy. The communists filled only a few posts in the government, including those of interior and defense ministers.
The elected parliament would be known as the Contract Sejm, from the "contract" between the Solidarity and the communist government which made it possible in the first place.
Although the elections were not entirely democratic, they paved the way for creation of Tadeusz Mazowiecki's cabinet and a peaceful transition to democracy, which was confirmed after the Polish presidential election of 1990 (in which Lech Wałęsa replaced Jaruzelski as the president) and the Polish parliamentary elections of 1991.
On the international level, this election is seen as one of the major milestones in the fall of communism ("Autumn of Nations") in Central and Eastern Europe.

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First Polish Legislative Election, 1989 | June 4

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The Polish legislative election of 1989 was the tenth election to the Sejm, the parliament of the People's Republic of Poland, and eleventh in Communist Poland. It took place on 4 June (first round) and 18 June (second round). Not all parliamentary seats were freely contested, but the...

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Discover Europe's digital cultural heritage

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Search, save and share art, books, films and music from thousands of cultural institutions

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"This is happiness," Willa Cather's fictional narrator gasps as he sinks into his grandmother's garden, "to be dissolved into something complete and great." A generation later, in a real-life counterpart, Virginia Woolf arrived at the greatest epiphany of her life - and to this day perhaps the finest definition of what it takes to be an artist - while contemplating the completeness and greatness abloom in the garden.

Nearly a century later, botanist and nature writer Robin Wall Kimmerer, who has written beautifully about the art of attentiveness to life at all scales, examines the revelations of the garden in Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants (public library) - an unusual and richly rewarding book blending botany, Native American mythology, natural history, and philosophy.

In a particularly enchanting passage, Kimmerer, who fuses her scientific training with her Native American storytelling heritage, considers happiness as a sort of reciprocity between the Earth and the human spirit - a gladdening mutuality of affections and animacy:

It came to me while picking beans, the secret of happiness.

I was hunting among the spiraling vines that envelop my teepees of pole beans, lifting the dark-green leaves to find handfuls of pods, long and green, firm and furred with tender fuzz. I snapped them off where they hung in slender twosomes, bit into one, and tasted nothing but August, distilled into pure, crisp beaniness... By the time I finished searching through just one trellis, my basket was full. To go and empty it in the kitchen, I stepped between heavy squash vines and around tomato plants fallen under the weight of their fruit. They sprawled at the feet of the sunflowers, whose heads bowed with the weight of maturing seeds.

Mid-stride in the garden, Kimmerer notices the potato patch her daughters had left off harvesting that morning. She twines this communion with the land and the commitment of good parenthood in a beautiful meditation on what it means to care for, to be a steward of, to love - be it a child or Mother Earth:

They complain about garden chores, as kids are supposed to do, but once they start they get caught up in the softness of the dirt and the smell of the day and it is hours later when they come back into the house. Seeds for this basket of beans were poked into the ground by their fingers back in May. Seeing them plant and harvest makes me feel like a good mother, teaching them how to provide for themselves.

[...]

How do I show my girls I love them on a morning in June? I pick them wild strawberries. On a February afternoon we build snowmen and then sit by the fire. In March we make maple syrup. We pick violets in May and go swimming in July. On an August night we lay out blankets and watch meteor showers. In November, that great teacher the woodpile comes into our lives. That's just the beginning. How do we show our children our love? Each in our own way by a shower of gifts and a heavy rain of lessons.

Maybe it was the smell of ripe tomatoes, or the oriole singing, or that certain slant of light on a yellow afternoon and the beans hanging thick around me. It just came to me in a wash of happiness that made me laugh out loud, startling the chickadees who were picking at the sunflowers, raining black and white hulls on the ground. I knew it with a certainty as warm and clear as the September sunshine. The land loves us back. She loves us with beans and tomatoes, with roasting ears and blackberries and birdsongs. By a shower of gifts and a heavy rain of lessons. She provides for us and teaches us to provide for ourselves. That's what good mothers do.

I was reminded of this passage from the altogether bewitching Braiding Sweetgrass by a mention in Kimmerer's terrific On Being conversation with Krista Tippett - listen and revel below:

[The] kind of deep attention that we pay as children is something that I cherish, that I think we all can cherish and reclaim - because attention is the doorway to gratitude, the doorway to wonder, the doorway to reciprocity. And it worries me greatly that today's children can recognize 100 corporate logos and fewer than 10 plants. That means they're not paying attention.

Complement with Mary Oliver - another patron saint of listening and of the Earth - on what it really means to pay attention, then revisit Kimmerer's exquisite writings about the magic of moss and how naming confers dignity upon existence.

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scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants

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"This is happiness," Willa Cather's fictional narrator gasps as he sinks into his grandmother's garden, "to be dissolved into something complete and great." A generation later, in a real-life counterpart, Virginia Woolf arrived at the greatest epiphany of her life - and to this day perhaps the finest definition of what it takes to be an artist - while contemplating the completeness and greatness abloom in the garden.

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Generations of great thinkers have extolled the creative purpose of boredom. Long before psychologists came to understand why "fertile solitude" is the seedbed of a full life, Bertrand Russell pointed to what he called "fruitful monotony" as central to the conquest of happiness. "There is no place more intimate than the spirit alone," wrote the poet May Sarton in her stunning 1938 ode to solitude. But today the fertile sanctuary of solitude is a place more endangered than any other locus of the spirit, attesting more acutely than ever to Blaise Pascal's seventeenth-century assertion that "all of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone."

Now comes a warm and wondrous invitation to remastering the art of fertile solitude in On a Magical Do-Nothing Day (public library) by Italian artist and author Béatrice Alemagna, translated by Jill Davis.

The lyrical, tenderly illustrated story is told in the voice of an androgynous young protagonist who grudgingly accompanies Mom to a writing cabin in the lush, rainy woods - a place oozing boredom only alleviated by a videogame.

Eventually, concerned that this will be "another day of doing nothing," Mom commands a break from the screen. She confiscates the game and hides it, "as usual," only to have her discontented child find it, "as usual," and rush outside in a bright orange raincoat, game tightly clutched as some kind of protective amulet against "this boring, wet place."

But then, while trying to enact a scene from the game while skipping stones in the pond at the bottom of the path, the reluctant adventurer drops the console into the water and off it plummets to the bottom.

Devastation sets in - now there is nothing to do, nothingness utterly terrifying in thrusting the young protagonist into such sudden solitude with nature.

I was a small tree trapped outside in a hurricane.

The moment of despair is intercepted by a procession of four enormous snails, which offer unexpected delight with their jelly antennae and lead the way to a constellation of mushrooms - a scene that only amplifies the lovely Alice-in-Wonderland undertone of the story.

Small knees drop to the ground and small hands dig into the mud to discover "a thousand seeds and pellets, kernels, grains, roots, and berries" - an underground chest of tactile treasures, pulsating with aliveness that no screen could ever simulate. As though intuiting this awakening of awe, nature turns up the spectacle in a dramatic downpour, sunbeams piercing through the rainclouds to reveal a world seemingly reborn.

With terror now transfigured into newfound mirth, the raincoated explorer surrenders to this strange new wonderland, climbing a tree, drinking raindrops from branches "like an animal would," marveling at bugs, talking to a bird, wondering:

Why hadn't I done these things before today?

Upon the triumphant return, soaked to the bone and transformed to the marrow, the young adventurer takes mom's hand and follows her into the kitchen, where they sit together looking at each other over cups of hot chocolate and savoring the quiet splendor of presence.

That is it. That's all we did.

On this magical do-nothing day.

Complement the splendid On a Magical Do-Nothing Day with the vintage gem How to Do Nothing with Nobody All Alone by Yourself. For a grownup counterpart, revisit Olivia Laing's masterly The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone and Wendell Berry on the solitary rewards of the wilderness.

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On a Magical Do-Nothing Day: A Lovely Illustrated Ode to the Nourishment of Nature and the Art of Solitude in the Age of Screens

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Generations of great thinkers have extolled the creative purpose of boredom. Long before psychologists came to understand why "fertile solitude" is the seedbed of a full life, Bertrand Russell pointed to what he called "fruitful monotony" as central to the conquest of happiness.

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Arts teaching could become more important than maths in tech-based future’

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Arts teaching could become more important than maths in tech-based future’

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The arts could become more important for young people than maths in the future, according to a leading education expert.

Researcher Andreas Schleicher, who leads the Programme for International Student Assessment at the intergovernmental economic organisation OECD, told a House of Commons inquiry that he believed young people could benefit more from the skills gained through creativity than test-based learning.

He was giving evidence to the Education Select Committee as part of an ongoing inquiry into the fourth industrial revolution - the influence of technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence on society.

Schleicher, who is widely regarded as one of the world's leading educational thinkers, said: "I would say, in the fourth industrial revolution, arts may become more important than maths."

"We talk about 'soft skills' often as social and emotional skills, and hard skills as about science and maths, but it might be the opposite," he said, suggesting that science and maths may become 'softer' in future when the need for them decreases due to technology, and the 'hard skills' will be "your curiosity, your leadership, your persistence and your resilience".

His comments come amid ongoing concerns about the narrowing of the education system in the UK to exclude creativity and prioritise academic subjects.

Theatre leaders back Prince Charles over arts education with warnings that cuts will 'strangle' the UK

Campaigners argue that this is prohibiting many young people from pursuing creative careers. However, Schleicher said that too narrow a curriculum could also make young people less prepared for the demands of the future.

He said British schools largely regard skills as inferior to knowledge, and can be very focused on traditional tasks such as memorisation.

"When you look at the types of tasks that British students are doing better [than other countries], they are more those that are associated with the past than the future - the kind of things that are easy to teach and easy to test. It is precisely those things that are easy to digitise.

"The modern world doesn't reward you for what you know, but for what you can do with what you know," he said.

School funding shortage putting theatre trips at risk, leading venues warn

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The World Today and FT student article competition

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The World Today and FT student article competition

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How about taking part in a competition? Deadline - March 8, 2019

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We are inviting school and college students around the world who are aged between 16 and 19 to send an article of up to 500 words to answer this question:

'If you were UN Secretary-General for a day, what would be your first action, and why?'

Entries will be judged by a panel including Chatham House and Financial Times staff on the originality and clarity of their articles. A fine writing style is not required. We are interested in your ideas.

The competition closes on March 8, 2019. The winner will be contacted by email in May and will be presented with a certificate at Chatham House's London Conference, June 13-14, 2019. The winning article will be published in The World Today and FT online in summer 2019.

The FT schools programme offers free access to the Financial Times for 16-19 year olds in education, their teachers and schools. Schools can register here.

You may also want to see some articles about the UN to help you answer the question: Here are three from The World Today: Can the UN survive Trump, Making the Sustainable Development Goals a Success, UN peacekeeping - just good enough, and recent articles from the FT.

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The World Today and FT student article competition

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We are inviting school and college students around the world who are aged between 16 and 19 to send an article of up to 500 words to answer this question: 'If you were UN Secretary-General for a day, what would be your first action, and why?'

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Who would ever think about it? These three bad habits - being messy, swearing, and staying up late - are usually considered to be indications of laziness, bad manners, and failure.

Who would ever think about it?

These three bad habits - being messy, swearing, and staying up late - are usually considered to be indications of laziness, bad manners, and failure.

However, according to recent studies, these bad habits prove something completely different.

Pinterest

If you think that you are one of those with at least one of these features, find out more below:

In an article, published in Psychology Today, it was stated that humans are capable of ignoring their biological clock and its rhythms. Circadian rhythm, which 'tells you' when you should go to sleep or wake up, is common in all animals. However, humans have the extra ability to change the rhythm, if they want to.

This means humans can decide themselves if they want to be morning people or night owls.

Isn't it great?

So, according to that article, there is a probability that more intelligent kids grow up to be nocturnal than less intelligent ones. This could actually mean that staying up late isn't so bad after all.

Business Insider

A second study published in Huffington Post showed that people who swear have a wide vocabulary. They examined participants aged 18 to 22 and they asked them to name taboo words with a specific letter in limited time and then asked to name animals the same way. In the end, the ones who knew more 'bad' words had an overall better vocabulary.

It was also discovered that the effect of swearing can relieve pain and stress - both emotional and physical. So, how could swearing be so bad if it takes the pain away?

WikiHow

What they found next, however, might be the most important one of all. A psychologist at the University of Minnesota found that people who have messy bedrooms are also more creative and intelligent.

Creativity means that you think out of the box. For instance, if your clothes should all be inside your closet, but are on the floor and around the room, then, it could mean that you tend to think unconventionally, unlike everyone else.

So there's no need to think like everyone else. Leave your room messy, express yourself the way you want to, and stay up as late as you want. It's probably a sign of your intelligence!

Source: Thinking Humanity

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Science Shows That If You Have One Of These Three Bad Habits, Then You Are Probably Highly Intelligent | Love Unconditionally

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Who would ever think about it? These three bad habits - being messy, swearing, and staying up late - are usually considered to be indications of laziness, bad manners, and failure. These three bad habits - being messy, swearing, and staying up late - are usually considered to be indications of laziness, bad manners, and failure.

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Sir David Attenborough narrates Adele's Hello

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Sir David Attenborough narrates Adele's Hello

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Sir David Attenborough is an English  broadcaster and natural historian, best known for writing and presenting natural history documentary series on animal and plant life on earth. He is considered a national treasure in Britain :)

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Sir David Attenborough narrates Adele's Hello

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It's a bit of a challenge and quite long, but worth the effort.

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Fintan O'Toole: Brexit: Ireland and the English Question

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One midwinter in 1950s New York, Harper Lee went to stay with friends. Little did she know she was about to be given the gift of a lifetime...

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Please [contact us](https://www.ted.com/contact) and let us know what happened.

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Can you judge people by what they wear - follow-up exercises

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Can you judge people by what they wear - follow-up exercises

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Freedom of speech is under threat in America

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The one thing all humans have in common is that each of us wants to be happy, says Brother David Steindl-Rast, a monk and interfaith scholar. And happiness, he suggests, is born from gratitude. An inspiring lesson in slowing down, looking where you’re going, and above all, being grateful.

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Letters of Note is one of our favorite places to hang out. Since 2009 the site has curated hundreds of interesting letters, telegrams, memos and faxes, from famous people, regular people, and even fictional people. We took advantage of their hard work and rounded up these 11 thank you (and one thanks-for-nothing) letters from their archives.

1. Thank You for the Dream You Sent Me

Once upon a time (1989), a little girl named Amy sent a bottle of colored water, oil and glitter to Roald Dahl, who knew right away that this was a dream in a bottle inspired by his book, The BFG. In response, the author penned this short note to his 7-year-old fan

Dear Amy,

I must write a special letter and thank you for the dream in the bottle. You are the first person in the world who has sent me one of these and it intrigued me very much. I also liked the dream. Tonight I shall go down to the village and blow it through the bedroom window of some sleeping child and see if it works.

With love from,
(Signed)
Roald Dahl

2. Thank You for Keeping Me Safe on the Moon

When your job involves leaving the planet to walk on the nearest rocky body, it's important that the people who build your equipment do things the right way. The enormity of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit engineering team's task-that is, building a spacesuit that kept a man safe and alive on the moon-was not lost on Neil Armstrong, who wrote this letter for the 25th anniversary of the lunar landing.

To the EMU gang:

I remember noting a quarter century or so ago that an emu was a 6 foot Australian flightless bird. I thought that got most of it right.

It turned out to be one of the most widely photographed spacecraft in history. That was no doubt due to the fact that it was so photogenic. Equally responsible for its success was its characteristic of hiding from view its ugly occupant.

Its true beauty, however, was that it worked. It was tough, reliable and almost cuddly.

To all of you who made it all that it was, I send a quarter century's worth of thanks and congratulations.

Sincerely,

(Signed) Neil A. Armstrong

3. Thank You for Asking Me to Your Prom

Remember prom? Nikki Simmons probably won't forget hers, even though the guy she asked had to politely decline. Seems he'd just gotten married and, honestly, he was probably busy.

Dear Nikki -

Thanks for your very flattering offer. It's great to know I have such a devoted fan out there, and I'm sure you would make a great prom date (I didn't go to mine - it's a very sad story).

Unfortunately, I got married recently and my wife doesn't allow me to go to proms anymore with cute 16 year old girls. Still, it was very cool of you to ask me. Thanks and have a great evening.

Your Friend,

Conan

4. Thank You for Not Hitting Me

Once upon another time (1974), John Lennon showed up drunk to LA's Troubadour club and proceeded to heckle the Smothers Brothers during their act. A fight ensued which involved just about everyone, including actress Pam Grier. The next day, she got this letter from Lennon:

Dear Pam,

I apologize for being so rude and thank you for not hitting me.

John Lennon

P.S. Harry Nilsson feels the same way.

5. Thank You for the Champagne

Sometimes less is more.

Dear Mr. von Fuehlsdorff:

Thank you for your champagne.
It arrived, I drank it and I was gayer.
Thanks again.

My best,
Marilyn Monroe

6. Thank You for Including Animals in Your Book

After reading Yann Martel's book Life of Pi with his daughter, a fan sat down to write this short note of thanks.

Mr. Martel -

My daughter and I just finished reading Life of Pi together. Both of us agreed we prefer the story with animals.

It is a lovely book - an elegant proof of God, and the power of storytelling.

Thank you.

(Signed, 'Barack Obama')

7. Thank You for Making a Fine Car

When a product has served you well, it's always nice to write an appreciative letter to the people who make it. This one allegedly comes from Clyde Barrow, of Bonnie and Clyde notoriety:

Dear Sir: -

While I still have got breath in my lungs I will tell you what a dandy car you make. I have drove Fords exclusivly when I could get away with one. For sustained speed and freedom from trouble the Ford has got ever other car skinned and even if my business hasen't been strickly legal it don't hurt enything to tell you what a fine car you got in the V8 -

Yours truly

Clyde Champion Barrow

Legend has it Henry Ford received the letter about a month before Bonnie and Clyde were killed in 1934 while attempting to outrun the police... in a V8-powered Model B Ford. There's some evidence against the note's authenticity, but we're hoping it's real.

8. Thank You for the Picture

Andy Warhol first printed his Liz series in 1963, but it wasn't until 1977 that Elizabeth Taylor got her own version of the iconic painting. She didn't wait 14 years to send Warhol a thank-you:

Dearest Andy

I'm so proud I finally have your "Liz" and thank you for signing it so sweetly to me.

I do love you.

Elizabeth or Liz
(of A.W.'s fame)

9. Thank You for the Music

This is just a little note from an actress to the man who composed the score for her recent film. That's all.

Dear Henry,

I have just seen our picture - BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S - this time with your score.

A movie without music is a little bit like an aeroplane without fuel. However beautifully the job is done, we are still on the ground and in a world of reality. Your music has lifted us all up and sent us soaring. Everything we cannot say with words or show with action you have expressed for us. You have done this with so much imagination, fun and beauty.

You are the hippest of cats - and the most sensitive of composers!

Thank you, dear Hank.

Lots of love
Audrey [Hepburn]

10. Thank You for Coming on Our Show

From hosts Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, a uniquely personal note of thanks to a recent guest on Laugh-In:

11. Thank You for Letting Me Be Your President

Ronald Reagan wrote this touching open letter to the American people in 1994, after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The former president lived another ten years.

My fellow Americans,

I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer's disease.

Upon learning this news, Nancy and I had to decide whether as private citizens we would keep this a private matter or whether we would make this news known in a public way.

In the past, Nancy suffered from breast cancer and I had cancer surgeries. We found through our open disclosures we were able to raise public awareness. We were happy that as a result many more people underwent testing. They were treated in early stages and able to return to normal, healthy lives.

So now we feel it is important to share it with you. In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater awareness of this condition. Perhaps it will encourage a clear understanding of the individuals and families who are affected by it.

At the moment, I feel just fine. I intend to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have always done. I will continue to share life's journey with my beloved Nancy and my family. I plan to enjoy the great outdoors and stay in touch with my friends and supporters.

Unfortunately, as Alzheimer's disease progresses, the family often bears a heavy burden. I only wish there was some way I could spare Nancy from this painful experience. When the time comes, I am confident that with your help she will face it with faith and courage.

In closing, let me thank you, the American people, for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your president. When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be, I will leave the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future.

I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead.

Thank you, my friends. May God always bless you.

Sincerely,

Ronald Reagan

Bonus: The Complete Opposite

Say you're the drummer for a band and someone writes a bad review of your latest tour. What do you do? If you are in fact Roger Taylor, the drummer for Queen, you write a letter on an airline motion-sickness bag and send it to the editor of Rolling Stone. From 1981:

Your peculiar 1970-time-warp attitude, coupled with an innate, congenital miscomprehension of rock & roll, continues to fascinate and annoy. Thank you, oh thank you, for the pseudopolitical slant and personal dishonesty that you continue to peddle in your outdated, opinionated, down-home rag.

Thanks also for the finely tuned musical assessment of my group from our sound check! Grow up. You invented the bitterness. I pity you. You suck. You are boring and you try to infect us.

Awaiting your charming review of my current album in about eight months!

ROGER TAYLOR
London, England

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11 Amazing Thank You Notes From Famous People

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Letters of Note is one of our favorite places to hang out. Since 2009 the site has curated hundreds of interesting letters, telegrams, memos and faxes, from famous people, regular people, and even fictional people. We took advantage of their hard work and rounded up these 11 thank you (and one thanks-for-nothing) letters from their archives.

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Talks, people, playlists, topics, and events about "gratitude" on TED.com

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365 grateful project | Hailey Bartholomew | TEDxQUT

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Steven Pinker's "Why free speech is fundamental"

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7 articles on different aspects of Halloween

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The life and death of a pumpkin (with subtitles)

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The life and death of a pumpkin (with subtitles)

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Leaf viewing is one of the easiest (and least expensive) ways to experience America's awe-inspiring natural beauty.

Whether you call it leaf-peeping season or simply fall, the changing colors around the nation are enough to inspire a fall foliage getaway. From the mountain maples in New England to the stunning sassafras trees that shade the Blue Ridge Parkway, check out our picks for the ten best fall foliage trips in the U.S.

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Across the United States, the autumn leaves are changing, and if you want to know how to see them, we've got recommendations for when and where to go.

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I remember my first awareness of mortality as a child in Bulgaria. I was nine and my father was relaying an anecdote from his youth. I asked him when it had taken place. With unconcerned casualness, he replied: "About a decade ago." I was astonished that people could segment their lives into blocks this big - my own life hadn't yet lasted a decade. In realizing that "a decade ago" I hadn't existed - the self I now so vividly experienced daily was then a nonentity - I also realized that in several more of those ten-year blocks, my dad, and eventually I, will cease to exist.

After one such time-block, I left Bulgaria for America, lured by the liberal arts education promise of being taught how to live. As the reality fell short of that promise, I began keeping my own record of what I was reading and learning outside the classroom in mapping this academically unaddressed terra incognita of being.

All the while, I was working numerous jobs to pay my way through school. What I was learning at night and on weekends, at the library and on the internet - from Plato to pop art - felt too uncontainably interesting to keep to myself, so I decided to begin sharing these private adventures with my colleagues at one of my jobs. On October 23, 2006, Brain Pickings was born as a plain-text email to seven friends. Halfway through my senior year of college, juggling my various jobs and academic course load, I took a night class to learn coding and turned the short weekly email into a sparse website, which I updated manually every Friday, then, eventually, every weekday.

The site grew as I grew - an unfolding record of my intellectual, creative, and spiritual development. At the time, I had no idea that this small labor of love and learning would animate me with a sense of purpose and become both my life and my living, nor that its seven original readers would swell into several million. I had no idea that this eccentric personal record, which I began keeping in the city where Benjamin Franklin founded the first subscription library in America, would one day be included in the Library of Congress archive of "materials of historical importance."

And now, somehow, a decade has elapsed.

Because I believe that our becoming, like the synthesis of meaning itself, is an ongoing and dynamic process, I've been reluctant to stultify it and flatten its ongoing expansiveness in static opinions and fixed personal tenets of living. But I do find myself continually discovering, then returning to, certain core values. While they may be refined and enriched in the act of living, their elemental substance remains a center of gravity for what I experience as myself.

I first set down some of these core beliefs, written largely as notes to myself that may or may not be useful to others, when Brain Pickings turned seven (which kindred spirits later adapted into a beautiful poster inspired by the aesthetic of vintage children's books and a cinematic short film). I expanded upon them to mark year nine. Today, as I round the first decade of Brain Pickings, I feel half-compelled, half-obliged to add a tenth learning, a sort of crowning credo drawn from a constellation of life-earned beliefs I distilled in a commencement address I delivered in the spring of 2016.

Here are all ten, in the order that they were written.

From year seven:

1. Allow yourself the uncomfortable luxury of changing your mind. Cultivate that capacity for "negative capability." We live in a culture where one of the greatest social disgraces is not having an opinion, so we often form our "opinions" based on superficial impressions or the borrowed ideas of others, without investing the time and thought that cultivating true conviction necessitates. We then go around asserting these donned opinions and clinging to them as anchors to our own reality. It's enormously disorienting to simply say, "I don't know." But it's infinitely more rewarding to understand than to be right - even if that means changing your mind about a topic, an ideology, or, above all, yourself.

2. Do nothing for prestige or status or money or approval alone. As Paul Graham observed, "prestige is like a powerful magnet that warps even your beliefs about what you enjoy. It causes you to work not on what you like, but what you'd like to like." Those extrinsic motivators are fine and can feel life-affirming in the moment, but they ultimately don't make it thrilling to get up in the morning and gratifying to go to sleep at night - and, in fact, they can often distract and detract from the things that do offer those deeper rewards.

3. Be generous. Be generous with your time and your resources and with giving credit and, especially, with your words. It's so much easier to be a critic than a celebrator. Always remember there is a human being on the other end of every exchange and behind every cultural artifact being critiqued. To understand and be understood, those are among life's greatest gifts, and every interaction is an opportunity to exchange them.

4. Build pockets of stillness into your life. Meditate. Go for walks. Ride your bike going nowhere in particular. There is a creative purpose to daydreaming, even to boredom. The best ideas come to us when we stop actively trying to coax the muse into manifesting and let the fragments of experience float around our unconscious mind in order to click into new combinations. Without this essential stage of unconscious processing, the entire flow of the creative process is broken.

Most important, sleep. Besides being the greatest creative aphrodisiac, sleep also affects our every waking moment, dictates our social rhythm, and even mediates our negative moods. Be as religious and disciplined about your sleep as you are about your work. We tend to wear our ability to get by on little sleep as some sort of badge of honor that validates our work ethic. But what it really is is a profound failure of self-respect and of priorities. What could possibly be more important than your health and your sanity, from which all else springs?

5. When people tell you who they are, Maya Angelou famously advised, believe them. Just as important, however, when people try to tell you who you are, don't believe them. You are the only custodian of your own integrity, and the assumptions made by those that misunderstand who you are and what you stand for reveal a great deal about them and absolutely nothing about you.

6. Presence is far more intricate and rewarding an art than productivity. Ours is a culture that measures our worth as human beings by our efficiency, our earnings, our ability to perform this or that. The cult of productivity has its place, but worshipping at its altar daily robs us of the very capacity for joy and wonder that makes life worth living - for, as Annie Dillard memorably put it, "how we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."

7. "Expect anything worthwhile to take a long time." This is borrowed from the wise and wonderful Debbie Millman, for it's hard to better capture something so fundamental yet so impatiently overlooked in our culture of immediacy. The myth of the overnight success is just that - a myth - as well as a reminder that our present definition of success needs serious retuning. As I've reflected elsewhere, the flower doesn't go from bud to blossom in one spritely burst and yet, as a culture, we're disinterested in the tedium of the blossoming. But that's where all the real magic unfolds in the making of one's character and destiny.

From year nine:

1. Seek out what magnifies your spirit. Patti Smith, in discussing William Blake and her creative influences, talks about writers and artists who magnified her spirit - it's a beautiful phrase and a beautiful notion. Who are the people, ideas, and books that magnify your spirit? Find them, hold on to them, and visit them often. Use them not only as a remedy once spiritual malaise has already infected your vitality but as a vaccine administered while you are healthy to protect your radiance.

2. Don't be afraid to be an idealist. There is much to be said for our responsibility as creators and consumers of that constant dynamic interaction we call culture - which side of the fault line between catering and creating are we to stand on? The commercial enterprise is conditioning us to believe that the road to success is paved with catering to existing demands - give the people cat GIFs, the narrative goes, because cat GIFs are what the people want. But E.B. White, one of our last great idealists, was eternally right when he asserted half a century ago that the role of the writer is "to lift people up, not lower them down" - a role each of us is called to with increasing urgency, whatever cog we may be in the machinery of society. Supply creates its own demand. Only by consistently supplying it can we hope to increase the demand for the substantive over the superficial - in our individual lives and in the collective dream called culture.

And as I round the decade:

Don't just resist cynicism - fight it actively. Fight it in yourself, for this ungainly beast lays dormant in each of us, and counter it in those you love and engage with, by modeling its opposite. Cynicism often masquerades as nobler faculties and dispositions, but is categorically inferior. Unlike that great Rilkean life-expanding doubt, it is a contracting force. Unlike critical thinking, that pillar of reason and necessary counterpart to hope, it is inherently uncreative, unconstructive, and spiritually corrosive. Life, like the universe itself, tolerates no stasis - in the absence of growth, decay usurps the order. Like all forms of destruction, cynicism is infinitely easier and lazier than construction. There is nothing more difficult yet more gratifying in our society than living with sincerity and acting from a place of largehearted, constructive, rational faith in the human spirit, continually bending toward growth and betterment. This remains the most potent antidote to cynicism. Today, especially, it is an act of courage and resistance.

Since such a time machine of reflection would get nowhere without the substance that fueled it, here are ten of the things I most loved reading and writing about in this first decade of Brain Pickings:

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10 Learnings from 10 Years of Brain Pickings

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I remember my first awareness of mortality as a child in Bulgaria. I was nine and my father was relaying an anecdote from his youth. I asked him when it had taken place. With unconcerned casualness, he replied: "About a decade ago."

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"First forget inspiration.
Habit is more dependable.
Habit will sustain you whether you're inspired or not.
Habit is persistence in practice."
- Octavia Butler

***

Nothing will change your future trajectory like habits.

We all have goals, big or small, things we want to achieve within a certain time frame. Some people want to make a million dollars by the time they turn 30. Some people want to lose 20 pounds before summer. Some people want to write a book in the next six months. When we begin to chase an intangible or vague concept (success, wealth, health, happiness), making a tangible goal is often the first step.

Habits are processes operating in the background that power our lives. Good habits help us reach our goals. Bad ones hinder us. Either way, habits powerfully influence our automatic behavior.

The difference between habits and goals is not semantic. Each requires different forms of action. For example:

We want to learn a new language. We could decide we want to be fluent in six months (goal), or we could commit to 30 minutes of practice each day (habit).

We want to read more books. We could set the goal to read 50 books by the end of the year, or we could decide to always carry a book with us (habit).

We want to spend more time with our families. We could plan to spend seven hours a week with them (goal), or we could choose to eat dinner with them each night (habit).

The Problems With Goals

When we want to change an aspect of our lives, setting a goal is often the logical first step. Despite being touted by many a self-help guru, this approach has some problematic facets.

Goals have an endpoint. This is why many people revert to their previous state after achieving a certain goal. People run marathons, then stop exercising altogether afterward. Or they make a certain amount of money, then fall into debt soon after. Others reach a goal weight, only to spoil their progress by overeating to celebrate.

Goals rely on factors which we do not always have control over. It's an unavoidable fact that reaching a goal is not always possible, regardless of effort. An injury might derail a fitness goal. An unexpected expense might sabotage a financial goal. A family tragedy might impede a creative-output goal. When we set a goal, we are attempting to transform what is usually a heuristic process into an algorithmic one.

Goals rely on willpower and self-discipline. As Charles Duhigg wrote in The Power of Habit:

Willpower isn't just a skill. It's a muscle, like the muscles in your arms or legs, and it gets tired as it works harder, so there's less power left over for other things.

Keeping a goal in mind and using it to direct our actions requires constant willpower. During times when other parts of our lives deplete our supply of willpower, it can be easy to forget our goals. For example, the goal of saving money requires self-discipline each time we make a purchase. Meanwhile, the habit of putting $50 in a savings account every week requires little effort. Habits, not goals, make otherwise difficult things easy.

Goals can make us complacent or reckless. Studies have shown that people's brains can confuse goal setting with achievement. This effect is more pronounced when people inform others of their goals. Furthermore, unrealistic goals can lead to dangerous or unethical behavior.

The Benefits of Habits

"Habit is the intersection of knowledge (what to do), skill (how to do), and desire (want to do)."
- Stephen Covey

***

Once formed, habits operate automatically. Habits take otherwise difficult tasks-like saving money-and make them easy.

The purpose of a well-crafted set of habits is to ensure that we reach our goals with incremental steps. The benefits of a systematic approach to achievement include the following:

Habits can mean we overshoot our goals. Let's say a person's goal is to write a novel. They decide to write 200 words a day, so it should take 250 days. Writing 200 words takes little effort, and even on the busiest, most stressful days, the person gets it done. However, on some days, that small step leads to their writing 1000 or more words. As a result, they finish the book in much less time. Yet setting "write a book in four months" as a goal would have been intimidating.

Habits are easy to complete. As Duhigg wrote,

Habits are powerful, but delicate. They can emerge outside our consciousness or can be deliberately designed. They often occur without our permission but can be reshaped by fiddling with their parts. They shape our lives far more than we realize-they are so strong, in fact, that they cause our brains to cling to them at the exclusion of all else, including common sense."

Once we develop a habit, our brains actually change to make the behavior easier to complete. After about 30 days of practice, enacting a habit becomes easier than not doing so.

Habits are for life. Our lives are structured around habits, many of them barely noticeable. According to Duhigg's research, habits make up 40% of our waking hours. These often minuscule actions add up to make us who we are. William James (a man who knew the problems caused by bad habits) summarized their importance as such:

All our life, so far as it has definite form, is but a mass of habits - practical, emotional, and intellectual - systematically organized for our weal or woe, and bearing us irresistibly toward our destiny, whatever the latter may be.

Once a habit becomes ingrained, it can last for life (unless broken for some reason).

Habits can compound. Stephen Covey paraphrased Gandhi when he explained:

Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.

In other words, building a single habit can have a wider impact on our lives. Duhigg calls these keystone habits. These are behaviors that cause people to change related areas of their lives. For example, people who start exercising daily may end up eating better and drinking less. Likewise, those who quit a bad habit may end up replacing it with a positive alternative. (Naval and I talked about habit replacement a lot on this podcast episode.)

Habits can be as small as necessary. A common piece of advice for those seeking to build a habit is to start small. Stanford psychologist BJ Fogg recommends "tiny habits," such as flossing one tooth. Once these become ingrained, the degree of complexity can be increased. If you want to read more, you can start with 25 pages a day. After this becomes part of your routine, you can increase the page count to reach your goal.

Why a Systematic Approach Works

"First we make our habits, then our habits make us."
- Charles C. Nobel

***

By switching our focus from achieving specific goals to creating positive long-term habits, we can make continuous improvement a way of life. This is evident from the documented habits of many successful people.

Warren Buffett reads all day to build the knowledge necessary for his investments.

Stephen King writes 1000 words a day, 365 days a year (a habit he describes as "a sort of creative sleep"). Athlete Eliud Kipchoge makes notes after each training session to establish areas which can be improved. These habits, repeated hundreds of times over years, are not incidental. With consistency, the benefits of these non-negotiable actions compound and lead to extraordinary achievements.

While goals rely on extrinsic motivation, habits are automatic. They literally rewire our brains.

When seeking to attain something in our lives, we would do well to invest our time in forming positive habits, rather than concentrating on a specific goal.

For further reading on this topic, look at Drive: The Surprising Secret of What Motivates Us, How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, and The Power of Habit.

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Habits vs. Goals: A Look at the Benefits of a Systematic Approach to Life

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"First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you're inspired or not. Habit is persistence in practice." - Octavia Butler *** Nothing will change your future trajectory like habits. We all have goals, big or small, things we want to achieve within a certain time frame.

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Reading - Can the world be saved from overtourism?

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Reading - Can the world be saved from overtourism?

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(CNN) - Every week seems to bring new confirmation we've officially entered the era of too much tourism.

And most recently, Thailand announced that Maya Bay, the popular destination made famous in the 2000 movie "The Beach" would be closed indefinitely to revive its ecosystem.

None of this is going unnoticed by the travel industry itself and some within it are now trying to come up with solutions even as others continue to debate whether there is a problem.

CNN Travel spoke to some of them to find out if there are any solutions -- or whether it's time to auction our suitcases on eBay and frame our passports for posterity.

Here's what we know so far:

"I think it's both," says Albert Arias Sans, head of Barcelona's city council's Strategic Plan for Tourism. "The overcrowding on the streets is there, the rise of the rental market in the real estate is there, the negative perception of residents is there, so figures are there and we have to not deny them, actually."

"I guess it's both," agrees MaríaReynisdóttir, of Iceland's Department of Tourism. "It is a buzz word. It's a concept that's easy to grasp and easy for the public to grasp, that's why we're seeing more media reports."

Reynisdóttir has been working in the tourism field for many years, and she says the pressure has always been there, but "overtourism" is essentially a label for a long-established pressure.

Sarah Miginiac, general manager for South America at adventure company G Adventures,is also keen to stress that overtourism isn't a media construct.

"I think it is a real issue," she says.

Overtourism might be the real deal, but it's also a broad term and it manifests itself differently in different destinations.

In Paris, it might look like crowds of visitors jostling for a photo or glimpse of the "Mona Lisa" at the Louvre, says Miginiac, who presented at the World Tourism Day about overtourism at Machu Picchu.

"That's not what overtourism in Machu Picchu looks like," she says. In Peru's ancient city, it's a question of too many people trying to gain access.

"There isn't the infrastructure around it," she says.

Arias Sans says Barcelona's overtourism issues are similar to the problems facing bustling urban centers across the world: overcrowding on the streets and at key tourist spots.

Then there's the impact of vacation rental companies such as Airbnb on housing and the rental market.

In Iceland, explains Reynisdóttir, the situation is different again.

"The growth has been very fast -- especially since 2010: we've had on average a 25% growth in tourist numbers year-on-year," she says. "So that has been the main challenge, tackling this growth."

She's quick to clarify there are a lot of advantages of this tourism boom -- Iceland's economy has been transformed.

"It's improved our quality of life in many ways, we can enjoy a wider range of services, restaurants, activities and so on and more flights to more destinations as well that we can fly to."

However this comes at a price.

"Pressure on certain popular tourist sites, especially at certain times, leaving some environmental damage and changes in attitudes."

All three experts agree social media directly correlates with overtourism -- platforms such as Instagram act as double-edged swords.

"It's not a bad thing to promote tourism," says Miginiac. "We actually want for the country to receive more visitors. So it's not a bad thing if [social media] helps putting Machu Picchu in Peru on the map."

But Miginiac says there needs to be a focus on promoting other Peruvian attractions on social media.

"Machu Picchu is one iconic attraction, but there is so much to see, so many other Inca ruins that people don't really don't really talk about," she adds.

"Social media plays a role and also it opens to challenges and opportunities, of course," says Arias Sans, who says Barcelona is pursuing an active new social media marketing strategy.

In Iceland, the growth of social media is intertwined with the country's tourism boom.

The North Atlantic island launched its "Inspired by Iceland" social media campaign in the aftermath of a major 2010 volcanic eruption. Today, Iceland still uses Instagram and other social media platforms to promote messages of responsible travel.

"Iceland's landscape is somehow very well suited to Instagram and pictorial media, with waterfalls and hot springs and dramatic landscapes," says Reynisdóttir.

But sometimes social media can lead to a little known attraction becoming a runaway success, not always for the better.

"Suddenly, some waterfall that's kind of hidden away and not many people went to -- all of a sudden it becomes really popular, because there's been some celebrity post something on it or it's in a popular TV show [...] You can see that with some of the sites that have been featured in 'Game of Thrones' have become popularized.

"And then all of sudden, lots of people start visiting but the site isn't ready for the footfall. So then you need to be quick to react, but that isn't always possible."

Land owners have to agree on development before paths and infrastructure can be constructed.

"It's not always easy, but I think you know I think Iceland have done a pretty good job of managing this," adds Reynisdóttir. "Reacting by building infrastructure and trying to get all the stakeholders on board. But it is a challenge, definitely."

All three experts agree that overtourism impacts the housing market and lives of local people.

In Iceland, the influx of tourists is largely concentrated on the capital, Reykjavik, and the south of the island, so measures have been taken to control accommodation in this region.

Reynisdóttir says Airbnb rentals are now limited to 90 days per year and there's an income cap. Hotel development has been restricted in certain areas and steps have been taken to reduce bus traffic in residential streets.

"There are no magical solutions at all, but what we're doing in Barcelona is, of course, banning hotels in the city center," says Arias Sans.

Arias Sans says Airbnb isn't necessarily a bad idea, but it needs to be controlled.

"There are certain forms that would be positive, like the rental of rooms in your home, but we need to be able to enforce it, otherwise it will get out of control and then what you presume to be a good idea, it turns into a very bad idea," he says.

Miginiac says the issue at Machu Picchu is the disconnect between the tourist experience and local livelihoods.

"You have communities all around Machu Picchu, who are actually not seeing the benefits of Machu Picchu," says Miginiac.

"So that's an effect of overtourism where you've got tourists that go in big, big buses of big groups to Machu Picchu, using companies that don't necessarily share their wealth with the local communities and that creates social conflict with the population because they consider Machu Picchu to be theirs -- that's their own culture, that's their own ancestors and they don't see the benefits out of it."

Creating long-term, adaptable solutions for the future is the aim of the governments in Barcelona and Iceland -- and in Miginiac's private sector work at Machu Picchu

"I personally visited Machu Picchu for the first time in 2004 and in that period there were half a million tourists to Macchu Picchu. Fourteen years later, we are at 1.4-1.5 million visitors into Machu Picchu and the access hasn't changed," says Miginiac.

When working together to find a solution, Miginiac says the key is ensuring the situation is a lasting one. "[The government] definitely need to make sure that whatever solution is going to be found to access Machu Picchu is actually a solution that will enable growth for the future as well, and not only for the current amount of passengers," says Miginiac.

In Barcelona, Arias Sans says his team are trying to ensure responsible tourism fits into the broader city plan.

"What we are doing is integrating tourism activities into the broader urban agenda [...] accommodation, mobility, economic development, but also the impact of tourism activities in the territory, and also to coordinate with the marketing strategy," he says.

In Iceland, the tourism rate is slowly down, giving the country more flexibility to adapt and plan for the future.

"Now with the foreign exchange inflow from tourism, ironically Iceland has become a very expensive destination. That's the main reason why we see this slow down, most would agree that the growth slowed down is a good thing. A 25% increase year on year is not a sustainable development for the long term."

This allows the government to, in Reynisdóttir's words, "breathe and plan."

So is there a long-term solution?

All three speakers agree that government, locals and tourism companies working together is the best recipe for success.

Events such as the World Tourism Day Forum also allow for cross-pollination and sharing of ideas on a wider scale.

In Barcelona, authorities are talking with busy tourist cities across the world.

"We are in contact with many cities like Amsterdam or many Italian cities are facing exactly the same issues and problems and they are also trying to figure out how to tackle them," says Arias Sans.

"In terms of the private sector we are all gathered together in trade associations and we try to work together with the government to create new access roads to Machu Picchu," says Miginiac.

Reynisdóttir adds: "[We need] coordination across tourism, across the fragmented industry, it's impacted almost every aspect of society, it needs to involve all relevant stakeholders to make things work."

In 2015, Iceland published a road map for tourism with a five-year action plan thrashed out by the government and travel industry representatives.

"This has worked very well -- the roadmap itself was by over a thousand people in 50 meetings all around the country who helped shape plans," she says. "So there was a large consensus on what needed to be done in reaction to this tourism explosion."

Now the Icelandic government is looking forward to tackle tourism as a long-term problem -- specifically spotlighting infrastructure.

"There's more visitors, all year round, at popular sites. You need more capacity, in terms of [...] toilets, parking, bridges, viewing platforms and so on," says Reynisdóttir.

The current tourist site protection plan was created in 2011 and, she says, it's financed 750 infrastructure projects since then.

Now they've premiered a new project.

"The Tourist Site Protection Fund focuses on private and municipal land and also new sites, in order to try and distribute tourist flows, make new attractions," she explains. "And it works alongside a new long term national infrastructure plan which focuses on the large areas of State and municipal sites."

"More isn't always better. We need to decide where we want to build up strong sites that are able to receive a large amount of visitors and which sites you want to leave more untouched."

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overtourism: can world be saved from too much travel? - cnn

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Can the world be saved from overtourism?

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(CNN) - Every week seems to bring new confirmation we've officially entered the era of too much tourism. And most recently, Thailand announced that Maya Bay, the popular destination made famous in the 2000 movie "The Beach" would be closed indefinitely to revive its ecosystem.

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Reading - The Advantages of Staying at Home

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Reading - The Advantages of Staying at Home

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Lying in bed late at night or waiting at the platform for the commuter train home, we often daydream about where it would be so much nicer to be: perhaps the beaches of Goa on India's west coast, a little restaurant by a quiet canal in Venice, the highway near Big Sur in California or maybe the Faroe islands, far to the north of Scotland.

The desire to travel is, almost always, sparked by a picture or two: a couple of mental snapshots that encapsulate all that seems most alluring about a destination. A trip lasting many hours and costing what could be a small fortune may be initiated by nothing grander or more examined than one or two mental postcards.

We travel because of a background belief that, of course, the reality of a scene must be nicer than the evanescent mental images that take us there. But there is something about the way our minds work that we would do well to study before we ever pack a suitcase: mental images are momentary. That is, they last, at best, three seconds. When we imagine a scene, we imagine not a film but, that far briefer and in many ways far more forgiving medium, a picture.

And yet, we are never in a destination just for a moment and that brute fact alone may be enough to cause grievous damage to the hopes that transport us far from home. We know the phenomenon well enough at the cinema. Imagine if in the course of a story, the screen were filled with a sublime view of ocean waves crashing against a craggy headland. We might sigh with desire at such splendour. But if the camera started to linger on the scene, we might rapidly grow twitchy. What is fabulous in increments of seconds can become properly maddening after half a minute. Two minutes in, we may be so irritated as to be ready to leave our seats.

It's not that we're ungrateful or shallow, rather that we absorb beauty quickly and then want to move on. Beauty is like a brilliant joke: we laugh, but don't need the comic element to be continuously replayed.

The lovely mental pictures that get us to travel are - in essence - hugely edited versions of what we actually encounter in any destination. We will, eventually, certainly see these pictures, but we will also see so much else, so much that is painful or boring, dispiriting or mundane: hours of footage of the stained airline seat ahead of us, the back of the taxi driver's head, the wall of the cheap hotel, a framed photograph of Marilyn Monroe on the wall of a little local restaurant...

Furthermore, there will always be something else on the lens between us and the destination we'd come for, something so tricky and oppressive as to undermine the whole purpose of having left home in the first place, namely: ourselves.

We will, by an unavoidable error, bring ourselves along to every destination we'd ever wanted to enjoy.

And that will mean bringing along so much of the mental baggage that makes being us so intolerably problematic day to day: all the anxiety, regret, confusion, guilt, irritability and despair. None of this smear of the self is there when we picture a trip from home. In the imagination, we can enjoy unsullied views. But there, at the foot of the golden temple or high up on the pine-covered mountain, we stand to find that there is so much of 'us' intruding on our vistas.

We ruin our trips by a fateful habit of taking ourselves along on them.

There's a tragi-comic irony at work: the vast labour of getting ourselves physically to a place won't necessarily get us any closer to the essence of what we'd been seeking. As airlines, hotel chains and travel magazines conspire never to tell us, in daydreaming of the ideal location, we may have already enjoyed the very best that any place has to offer us.

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Lying in bed late at night or waiting at the platform for the commuter train home, we often daydream about where it would be so much nicer to be: perhaps the beaches of Goa on India's west coast, a little restaurant by a quiet canal in Venice, the highway near Big Sur in California or maybe the Faro

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What Is Lost in a Nation That's Reading Less Literature?

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What Is Lost in a Nation That's Reading Less Literature?

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Earlier this year I finally picked up a card for the Los Angeles public library system. Libraries are essential institutions to human knowledge, both in decline during a period when we can uncover so much knowledge on a device and in vogue given sites like popular literary behemoth Brainpickings link each book to a public library listing.

On the first day in my local branch I'm standing behind a woman forking over $50 in late fees. Behind her is a man scrounges together the nearly $20 he owes from various pockets-a dollar here, fistful of coins there. I'm in awe. With three weeks and multiple reminder emails, how could anyone let this happen?

Late fees are as ubiquitous as libraries themselves. In fact, one Alabama library recently announced the stiffest fees yet: jail time. Given that the Athens-Limestone public library is down $200,000 in books, administrators made it a tax issue: you're stealing from taxpayers; you have to pay the penalty.

The digital revolution seemed prime to destroy the physical book industry. That shifted with a recent uptick in hardcovers and paperbacks being sold. I for one took a two-year sojourn before realizing I can't stand the lack of intimacy offered by my iPad. Sadly, while books are on an upswing, literature is on the decline.

The Washington Post reports that reading "novels, short stories, poetry or plays" hit a three-decade low, down to just 43 percent of Americans thumbing through at least one work of literature per year. That figure includes any format. Who wants to read 140,000 words when 140 is so much easier to consume (and forget)?

While digital books have made purchasing easier than ever, the medium has complications:

There are a lot more products and platforms competing for your attention today than there were 30 years ago - video games have exploded in popularity and movies have transformed from something you did at the theater to something you do at home. Perhaps most important, the Internet, with its infinite distractions, did not exist 30 years ago.

A huge slice of this troubling puzzle is attention. Journalist Nicholas Carr noticed that he and his friends were no longer able to finish a book. So he did what one does in such situations: he wrote a book about it. (The irony was not lost on him.) While digital technologies offer an unlimited well of knowledge to draw from at any moment, the medium is rooted in distraction. He continues,

Calm, focused, undistracted, the linear mind is being pushed aside by a new kind of mind that wants and needs to take in and dole out information in short, disjointed, often overlapping bursts-the faster, the better.

It's the difference between tweeting and comprehending: one spits out a thought as quickly as possibly, while the other requires what Carr calls 'deep thinking,' an ability to hold multiple nuanced ideas in your head at once and contemplate the landscape of possibilities. While there are many important works of nonfiction that help us understand complexity, literary fiction is one of the most potent thanks to its ability to conjure empathy in the reader. Literary fiction, as compared to nonfiction and even popular fiction, inspires a psychological awareness that

carries over into the real world, which is full of complicated individuals whose inner lives are usually difficult to fathom. Although literary fiction tends to be more realistic than popular fiction, the characters disrupt reader expectations, undermining prejudices and stereotypes. They support and teach us values about social behavior, such as the importance of understanding those who are different from ourselves.

We are in dire need to empathy. Look up from your phone while in line and observe everyone else staring down at their phones. Gaze at your surroundings in a restaurant or on the road. Our navigational skills, physically and emotionally, are suffering greatly due to a growing inability to recognize others-physically and emotionally. We've never had so many stories available at the touch of a fingertip, yet the only story we're concerned with is whatever one we're living.

Which is why I shake my head in disbelief when someone says, 'I don't read.' I'm equally baffled by the idea that reading fiction is just 'for pleasure.' Enjoying reading is important, but a good story does much more than incite dopamine. It's a bonding tool, one that reminds us of our place in a larger world, much of which we'll never actually see with our eyes. By imagining through the eyes of others, we tap into the heart of their culture, circumstances, and surroundings. It makes our world a little more complete knowing that we share experiences, and celebrate differences, across a broad spectrum of possibility.

The destruction of imagination to constant busyness is tragic, and no fee can possibly recover what is lost when we find out it's too late. "Attention, please," the mynah birds crow throughout Aldous Huxley's fictional Island, though no one seems to be able to provide it.

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Derek Beres is working on his new book, Whole Motion: Training Your Brain and Body For Optimal Health (Carrel/Skyhorse, Spring 2017). He is based in Los Angeles. Stay in touch on Facebook and Twitter.

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What Is Lost in a Nation That's Reading Less Literature?

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Earlier this year I finally picked up a card for the Los Angeles public library system. Libraries are essential institutions to human knowledge, both in decline during a period when we can uncover so much knowledge on a device and in vogue given sites like popular literary behemoth Brainpickings link each book to a public library listing.

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The phrases you've been getting wrong all your life.

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The phrases you've been getting wrong all your life.