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Not as much for the "wisdom" they imparted but as a self-examination of my own values. According to author John Izzo, "Five Secrets" is a compendium of the reflections of over 200 "wise elders" as they reflect on life as they near its end. I am going to spill the beans, so cover your eyes if you want these to be a surprise: "Be true to yourself," "leave no regrets," "live the moment," "become love" and "give more than you take." Izzo illustrates each secret by using examples from his life and the lives of his interviewees. But once in a while, it does not hurt to listen to sage advice, however cloying, to measure your own life against that of people purported to be happy.
In twenty years, what will you remember -- another day sitting in front of a game console, or working to relieve the suffering of global proportions.Like the advice from many self-help books, these adages are surely impossible to live at once, especially in the struggle to raise kids and make a living in harsh economic timers. I doubt there are many with the good health, community connections and inborn rosy personality to succeed in applying them all. I also used some of his advice when helping my son decide between a day playing video games and a day helping Haitian relief efforts. I have often rued the dollars spent on my own trip to Africa, and this section helped put that into perspective.
I can't remember, though I read this last night. He nearly let his lucrative lecture schedule overrule the trip. If Izzo is to be believed, just about each of them defined happiness as having come from learning five basic approaches to life. I was especially draw to Izzo's story about a trip to Africa, which profoundly changed his life.
Luckily they are easily ignored.I did enjoy the middle section about the secrets. Truth be told, I found parts of the books intolerable -- especially the beginning (where he described his method of gathering data) and the end in which he. These sections are almost surreally earnest.
The type of book that you can pick up and re-read, refresh your mind and continue to learn from. It also reinforces a lot of what I have learned on my spiritual journey these past 10 years. What better way to learn from the experiences and input of others who have lived a full life. Very enlightening and inspirational.
I'm thinking Izzo could've listed the five criteria in a pamphlet with a short explanation of each and saved himself a lot of unnecessary work. While it's good to be reminded of these five "secrets", there's really nothing new here. I thought I'd be inspired by these "wise elders" experiences, but there again there were no memorable or inspirational stories.
As a companion book, I also recommend "This I Believe." This book is a must, both for personal and professional development. I found the content outstanding and I am applying these insights in my work with students in a University setting.
They explain how being a loving person, living a life without regrets and living in the moment made the participants happier in life. If you are over 40 you have probably realized what is important in life and you can use this book as a refresher course to make sure you are still on track. "Fill in this sentence, I wish I had." After collecting thousands of answers the authors came to certain conclusions and organized the stories into five categories. Did I live in the present. John Isso, Olivia McIvor and Leslie Knight interviewed 235 people who were between the ages of 59 and 105.
If you want to find meaning and be happy then this book has some good advice. At the end of the book John Izzo lists questions you can ask "your own wise elders." So think of this book as a guide to understanding what is important in life and as a jumping off point for your own exploration of life. Was I kind, generous, and giving this week. If we lived in a tribe these thoughts might be passed down by our elders. Did I act on my convictions this week. The people interviewed did come from a wide variety of cultures and religions.Overall this book is a reminder of what is important in life. Some of the questions include: Am I following my heart. I was actually surprised this book didn't focus more on spirituality although it touches on the subject a few times.
They asked questions like: "What has brought you the greatest sense of meaning and purpose in life.""What is the greatest fear at the end of life. I think this book would benefit anyone in their 20s and 30s who is searching for wisdom. ~The Rebecca Review At the end of each chapter there are questions that help you put the ideas into practice. Did I spread love and kindness in the world today.
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