1984

I read a great book last week- 1984 by George Orwell. It was written in 1949 and is a look at what the world may look like when we give all decision making power over to the government. The government in the book was called “Big Brother” and they made all decisions and “took care of you”. There were three groups in society- the Inner Party (the ruling class) the Outer Party- (those striving to replace the ruling party) and the Parols- The 80% of society being controlled by the small minority. Orwell talks about the latent power that the 80% hold. They have the ability to shake off their oppressors at any time they decide as a group to rise up. This has happened many times in history, and it is always a bloody situation. Why do we humans give such power to so few and expect them to “take care of us” when we know that the world does not work that way?

The main learning of the book for me was that it is much easier to protect our freedoms than it is to get them back once we have surrendered them. A very thought provoking book.

The Inner Game of Work

I have continued reading The Inner Game of Work I will complete this book this week- I have really enjoyed it. There is great power in “being aware” and not pushing things. The more we push, the more we get in the way of our own success. I am at the point now where I am trying to square this fact with the need to have a plan and be deliberate about things. The book has given me much to think about. I would put it in my top five business books. I have heard so many people say the same things about awareness, alpha, self one, getting in the flow over the past few years, that I have realized I have been pounding the nail way too hard at times. In Physics there is an equation that states

Work = force X distance

a corrilary may be real progress = awareness X following correct principles - force

force may be needed to do work in some definitions, but in life, force is a detractor at best.