Knowledge as a Source of Power
I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set,
I go into the other room and read a book!
― Groucho Marx
How do you like to spend your leisure time? Are you one of those individuals who likes to read for pleasure or for entertainment or even for personal enrichment? Is it an activity you look forward to? And, whilst we’re touching on the subject of reading, how many books do you read per month? What kind of material do you enjoy reading? What’s your purpose in reading a book in the first place? Do you read to relax? Or to exercise your mind? Perhaps you read because you want to expand your knowledge. And why is any of this remotely important?
The reason is very simple but important. It’s because the mind needs to be treated just like a muscle – and, just as our muscles need to be stretched and exercised and toned, the same principles apply equally to our mental faculties. It’s very simple – use them or lose them.
It’s what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it.
― Oscar Wilde
Anyone who’s enjoyed the benefits of a higher education will remember the seemingly endless hours of study and the enormous number of texts that had to be read. Perhaps that’s why a surprising number of people feel an understandable sense of relief when they finally graduate. Perhaps that’s also why they cut down on their reading and devote more time to leisure pursuits. It’s a perfectly understandable reaction to the stresses of study and exams.
But we’re living at an incredibly fortuitous moment in history. Despite the enormous problems that continue to beset many parts of the world, it’s never been easier for countless numbers of individuals to access the priceless gift of knowledge.
Whether we expand our knowledge through the Internet or through the medium of books, knowledge has never been so freely available. So, for those of us who enjoy the privilege of unlimited access to the vast realms of literature, this could be the perfect moment to acquaint ourselves with the pleasure and advantages of a good library.
Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible
and wisest of counselors and the most patient of teachers.
― Charles W. Eliot
One of the best ways to keep the mind functioning efficiently is to provide it with a daily diet of cerebral exercise. That’s where reading can play a very helpful role in enhancing your mental acuity. If you’ve lost touch with the benefits of reading, the easiest way to revive this incredibly productive habit is to choose a single book that captures your interest and then make a simple commitment to read one chapter every evening. It’s a superb way to develop the helpful habit of enjoying the benefits of a good book.
As you become comfortably accustomed to the renewed pleasures of reading, the next step is to expand your range of interests and consider a new subject to read about. Be bold. Step beyond the familiar lines of your knowledge and experience. Venture into new territories and give your mental muscles something more challenging to work on. Learn about areas that you’ve never explored before. Consult the world’s leading experts and drink deeply from the great well of knowledge. A well-written book on an unfamiliar topic is like a private tutorial at the feet of a master.
You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
领英推荐
― Ray Bradbury
A well-informed public is a powerful antidote to political corruption and the misleading tales that proliferate throughout social media today. Knowledge really is one of the foundations of personal empowerment. In a highly complex world, the more we know, the better our understanding of how things work. History, for example, teaches us so much about the ways that societies evolve. Biographies of inspirational men and women can serve as potent reminders of how to rise above our limitations and strive against the odds to achieve our goals. Philosophy encourages us to consider the world from refreshingly new and different perspectives. Science opens the doors to a better understanding of how everything functions. The choices before us are seemingly endless.
Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world.
― Voltaire
Make today a special day when you reacquaint yourself with the infinite riches of the world’s literature. Build a solid foundation to your expanding knowledge and understanding by setting aside a little time every day to read. Challenge your mind. Knowledge is power. And the simplest pathway to knowledge lies in a voracious appetite for reading.
Greg Parry created The Wellness Foundation and the Cognitive Empowerment Programs specifically to help people master their stress, overcome their limitations and explore the power of their true potential.
If you enjoy these blogs, you can imagine how much fun it is to have Greg in the room or online as an inspirational and highly perceptive speaker. If you’d like to invite Greg to talk to your company or organisation or event, feel free to get in touch.
You can contact Greg and explore our websites at:
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