I am writing this post from my patio in the Turks and Caicos.
Beautiful white sand beaches and warm breezes make this place delightful.
Time to recharge.
The Laws of Human Nature
While on vacation, I am reading Robert Greene’s tome, The Laws of Human Nature. The book is not exactly light beach reading but it is entertaining and informative. Using historical and literary references, Greene explores human conduct and motivation. Throughout, Greene emphasizes the importance of lucid thinking. I recently wrote on the subject of becoming a better thinker in Improve Your Thinking: Write. Lawyers should actively develop ways to think better. I hope you check it out. Writing is the best way to think better. Greene is a terrific tour guide on this important subject.
Generations
Greene is the mentor of Ryan Holiday, a 30 something genius whose books I love. I am currently taking Holiday’s 13-day course, Read to Lead, a tutorial on enhancing one’s reading. I find it interesting and ironic how much I am learning from Millennial thinkers like Holiday. Having older teachers seems natural to me, and I consider it counterintuitive to learn from teachers the ages of my kids. But I’ll take the good stuff wherever I can find it. I think the cross-fertilization of ideas between generations is good for everyone.
Speaking of generations, I stumbled across these two articles which, respectively, speak to those of my generation and those starting their careers. For the “newbies," check out this wise and funny article by Stephen Easton called, My Last Lecture: Unsolicited Advice For Future and Current Lawyer. I love the common sense and wisdom from a lawyer in the sunset of his career. One bit of advice he advocates is simple and obvious: return your damn phone calls!
For those who are later in their career, read Arthur Brooks eye-opening article, Your Work Peak Is Earlier Than You Think. As Brooks observes (gulp), "The biggest mistake professionally successful people make is attempting to sustain peak accomplishment indefinitely.” That said, I watched Alan Dershowitz, aged 80, give a very respectable (although in my opinion flawed) presentation to the Senate on Constitutional history at the impeachment trial.
Nearing 60, I still feel like I am at the top of my game but I am aware that the sand is starting to drain more quickly in the hourglass. As a result, I am making changes to my practice to exploit my current strengths (wisdom and judgment) and compensate for my weakness (inability to work 12 hour days anymore).
Whether young or old, we all need to heed the advice of the Stoics who practiced Momento Mori, a regular reflection on one’s mortality. We must constantly remember that our lives are finite. Use your limited time wisely.
Advocacy Advice:
Never waste valuable time, or mental peace of mind, on the affairs of others—that is too high a price to pay.” — Robert Greene
The biggest adversary in our lives is ourselves. We are what we are, in a sense, because of the dominating thoughts we allow to gather in our head. All concepts of self-improvement, all actions, and paths we take relate solely to our abstract image of ourselves. Life is limited only by how we really see ourselves and feel about our being. A great deal of pure self-knowledge and inner understanding allows us to lay an all-important foundation for the structure of our life from which we can perceive and take the right avenues.” — Bruce Lee
Arguing to hear one's own wonderful voice: I know people who use argument merely to hear their own voices. They are noisemakers. These people seem perfectly secure, but they are enchanted with their words, enthralled with their own wisdom, and they are, to be sure, as boring as popcorn without salt. They have, during the course of their lives, made so much noise and filled the air with so much authoritative banality that they have had no time to form an original thought, nor have they given themselves the opportunity to hear and learn anything from listening to anyone else.” — Gerry Spence
What book changed your life?
On day six of my reading challenge, Ryan Holiday suggests asking people you admire what book or books changed their lives. So I am asking. For me, it is Stephen B. Oates great Lincoln biography, With Malice Toward None. This book helped me realize and truly appreciate the greatness of Lincoln. The other book is a short story by Shirley Jackson called The Lottery. I first read this story in 7th grade and it blew my 13-year-old mind! It was my introduction to a lifelong love of literature.
What books changed your life? I’m sure our tribe has a varied range of favorites. I will post them in the March newsletter (If you want to comment but remain anonymous, just let me know). Email your titles and comments to me at snpeskind@gmail.com.
By the way, my solicitation last month for a virtual book club using a Zoom platform only drew two responses. I think we will need to table that idea for a while. I will revisit the idea later this year.
In the meantime, keep reading, writing and thinking!
Stay in touch.